NOVA Sophomore Zoie Seay's attack splits two Hagerstown defenders.

NOVA’s women’s volleyball team took on the powerful Hagerstown Community College squad in their final match of the year on Nov. 3.

Before the match, the five team members who were playing their last game for NOVA were honored in a brief ceremony. These members included Zoie Seay, Malena Lopez, Nikelle Willis, Rachel Barfield and Kristina Hilgenhurst.

In the first game of the Hagerstown match, NOVA appeared to be a bit off-balance and — despite two timeouts — went down quickly, 25-12. NOVA only managed to score two points in a row once.

In the second game, NOVA put up a much better fight. They led early 3-0 and later 11-9 as Hagerstown committed some errors. NOVA contested the game to the end but finally lost 25-21.

The third game also went to Hagerstown, 25-18, resulting in Hagerstown winning the match, 3 games to 0.

For the year, NOVA fell to a final record of 11-14 while Hagerstown rose to 22-6 before its regional tournament.

Second-year coach Marcus Robinson remarked, “Last year we were 5-11 and this year we added many more matches. I am pleased with the progress of the program and with our improvement during the year.” He added that he hoped their improvement would continue next year.

Since the last update, NOVA had lost to Cecil College, Md., had won one of four matches at a Hagerstown tournament, had beaten Trinity Washington 3-0, and had lost to CCBC of Maryland and to Lancaster Bible College, Pa. They then had beaten Harford Community College, Md., before losing to Allegany College of Cumberland, Md. All 10 of these matches were on the road as only five of NOVA’s 25 matches were at home for the year.

At one point, NOVA sported an 8-6 record before faltering in its late schedule, but it still wound up with its respectable 11-14 record.

By: Arch Scurlock

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