Arnold, MD - Howard Community College's volleyball team split their third tri-match of the season on Saturday, losing to the Monroe University Mustangs 3-0 and defeating the Anne Arundel Community College Riverhawks 3-0.
The win moves the Dragons to 4-5 on the season, surpassing their win total from last year and placing them just one game back from a playoff spot with half a season to go!
Game One: Mustangs 3, Dragons 0
Game one saw the Dragons face a tough opponent in Division I Monroe University. The first set highlighted the difference in divisions, as the Mustangs dominated the Dragons 25-5. After some defensive changes, the Dragons were able to keep the second and third sets close, even pulling into the lead in the second set. Howard led 17-14 in set two, but the Mustangs scored the final 11 points to win 25-17. Set three was mostly dominated by the Mustangs, though the Dragons did manage to break double-digit points late in the set.
The Mustangs dominated every statistical category, out-killing the Dragons 47-12. Howard was able to record more blocks thanks to solid defensive work up from by
Abigail Leis (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. Hebron) and
Toriana Curry (Baltimore, MD/Carver Center). Leis led the Dragons with four kills, while
Gracie Close (Elkridge, MD/Long Reach) and
Cheyenne Ellis (Eldersburg, MD/Century) each recorded five assists.
Zyon Austin (Odenton, MD/Meade) led the Dragons in digs with seven total.
Game Two: Dragons 3, Riverhawks 0
Game two featured an interesting match up, as the Dragons and Riverhawks had already met in the preseason. Just like their August clash, Howard dominated the contest with a solid sweep. The Dragons fought valiantly to secure a 25-22 win in the first set, then took command of the game in the second set to score a comfortable 25-10 win. Set three would be a back-and-forth affair until Howard pulled away late to win 25-19.
Gracie Close (Elkridge, MD/Long Reach) led the Dragons in their victory with 13 kills on 24 total attacks.
Cheyenne Ellis (Eldersburg, MD/Century) totaled 28 assists, while
Stefamae Barquillia (Samar, The Philippines/Einstein) led the team with 15 digs.
The Dragons next face powerhouse Hagerstown on Wednesday, September 24 at 7:00 PM.