Hawks Finish at Maryville Classic with Two Losses

MARYVILLE, Tenn. – Huntingdon Volleyball (0-4 overall) fell to Spalding University 3-1, and Brevard College 3-2, on the final day of the Maryville Labor Day Classic.

Game One Against Spalding:

Spalding got up early, 7-3, on the Hawks in the first set. Getting down as much as seven points when Spalding hit the 20-point mark, Huntingdon tried to fight back but with only five kills and six errors, Spalding was lifted to a 1-0 lead.

Huntingdon was down again 7-3 in the second set and began to claw their way back into the game, led by Izzy Valldeperas with three kills and three block assists. A kill from Eva Ellenburg lifted the Hawks on top by one, 23-22, followed by a service error from Spalding and another kill from Ellenburg ended the set and tied the game, 1-1.

To start the third set, points were back and forth by both teams being tied at six. After the sixth point, Spalding began to pull away and ended the set 25-14, now up 2-1 in the game.

The final set was a close match between the two teams as the Hawks refused to go away, tying the match twice. However, the nine errors produced by Huntingdon pushed them under as Spalding took the final set 25-21.

Hawk Top Performers:

#21 Izzy Valldeperas – 9 Kills, 7 Digs, 12.5 Points

#18 Lindsey Holland – 8 Kills, 3 Digs

#3 Jessi Hilyer – 13 Assists, 12 Digs

Game Two Against Brevard:

The Hawks started off hot with the first three points of the first set, but the Tornados quickly tied it at four. Ashlen Janowski's kill lifted the team back on top by four points before Brevard went on a six-point run sponsored by a few Hawk errors. After taking the lead, Brevard never gave it back up and ended the first set, 25-19.

Huntingdon dominated in the second and third set with a combined four errors and 24 kills. In the second, a kill by Ellenburg sparked an unstoppable scoring frenzy with three service aces and three kills before the Tornados could add a point (15-6). Huntingdon held their distance and finished off the second set, 25-17. Brevard's eleven errors in the third set benefited the Hawks in a 25-18 third set win.

Now up 2-1 in the match, Huntingdon looked to finalize the game, but Brevard refused to go away. In a close fourth set, seven errors by the Hawks sent the game to five.

Going up 7-1 in the final set, the Hawks had all the momentum on their side until errors put the Tornados back in the game at 10-8. Two Brevard service aces gave them the lead at 13-12 and the Hawks were unable to hold on as the Tornados took the win.

Hawk Top Performers:

#21 Izzy Valldeperas – 13 Kills, 17 Digs, 13.5 Points

#12 Ashlen Janowski – 12 Kills, 4 Digs, 12.5 Points

#3 Jessi Hilyer – 23 Assists, 17 Digs

The Hawks return to action at Birmingham-Southern on Thursday at 5:00 PM CT.