ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Quincy University women's volleyball team finished the regular season in commanding fashion, earning its third consecutive sweep and ninth straight victory with a 3–0 win over Maryville (26–24, 25–16, 26–24). The win pushes the Hawks to 22–5 overall and 11–2 in GLVC play, securing tremendous momentum heading into next week's GLVC Tournament.
Maryville came out firing, racing to a 6–0 lead that included four early Hawk errors. Quincy quickly settled in, responding first with a three-point run, then a four-point burst to tie the frame at 7–7. The Saints countered with another push, scoring five of the next six to reclaim a 12–8 lead. The rest of the set became a heavyweight exchange, with neither side generating more than a three-point run as the score tightened to 23–24. With the set hanging in the balance,
Janelle Pye-Blacknard delivered two kills to go along with a clutch ace from
Lilly Marth to steal the opener 26–24. Quincy posted 19 kills while hitting .269, while Maryville hit .244 with 15 kills in their best offensive set of the day.
The Hawks carried all the momentum into set two, jumping to a 6–1 lead as Maryville committed four straight errors under constant pressure. Quincy never relinquished control, gradually extending the margin to double digits.
Zeynep Cetin hammered down the final two points, closing out the frame 25–16. The Hawks hit just .140 with 13 kills, but their defense suffocated Maryville, holding the Saints to nine kills on .073 hitting, forcing six errors and eliminating any offensive rhythm.
The final set was a rollercoaster defined by momentum swings. Both teams traded three-, four-, and five-point runs, keeping the score tight throughout. Quincy surged ahead 23–19, but Maryville stormed back with a 5–1 run to tie the score at 24–24 and threaten to extend the match. With composure befitting a postseason contender, the Hawks capitalized on a Maryville error and once again turned to Pye-Blacknard, who buried the final kill to secure the sweep and cap a 26–24 win.
The Hawks hit .212 overall, including 19 kills at .269 in set one, 13 kills in set two, and 20 more in set three. Quincy out-killed Maryville 52–37, out-dug them 78–72, and produced six service aces, controlling every phase of play. Defensively and in serve receive, the Hawks were excellent, minimizing long rallies and keeping Maryville below .200 hitting for the match.
Individually,
Janelle Pye-Blacknard delivered a massive game, stepping up when the offense needed her most with 16 kills on .343 hitting and a match-high 20 digs, marking one of her best all-around efforts of the season.
Susanna Beretti was held in check for one of the few times this fall, finishing with 14 kills but also nine errors to hit .086. Cetin provided strong production from the middle with seven kills on .375 hitting, while several others contributed across the board in a true "win by committee" performance.
With the regular season now in the books, the Hawks turn their attention to the GLVC Tournament, set for November 21–23 at the Williamsville High School Field House in Williamsville, Illinois. Quincy enters postseason play with tremendous momentum and will look to turn their nine-match winning streak into a deep GLVC title run.
