DRAGONS CLOSE CLASSIC WITH SWEEP OF MINERAL AREA

Ashlyn Long has a strong Saturday and helps the Blue Dragon Volleyball team to a sweep of Mineral Area College in the final match of the Blue Dragon Volleyball Classic at the Sports Arena. (McKenzie Franklin/Blue Dragon Sports Information)

September 23, 2023

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

After two straight Blue Dragon Volleyball Classic losses, the Hutchinson Community College volleyball team finished the weekend strong with a sweep of Mineral Area College on Saturday afternoon at the Sports Arena.

The Blue Dragon block and defense returned to form to lead Hutchinson to a 25-21, 25-19, 25-18 victory over the Cardinals. The Blue Dragons finished their third-straight tournament this season going 2-2 and are now 14-7 for the season.

Hutchinson returns to Jayhawk Conference action on Monday with a road trip to Garden City.

The Blue Dragons had 10 team blocks, Hutchinson's 10th match this season with 10 or more blocks. Freshman McKenzie Murphy had a season-high eight blocks to lead the Dragons, including a pair of solo blocks.

The Dragons limited Mineral Area to .040 hitting, the sixth time this season to hold an opponent to less than .100 hitting in a match.

Hutchinson out-dug Mineral Area 43-37. Freshman Isabella Rollandini had a match-high 12 digs. Freshman Alondra Velez had nine digs.

The Blue Dragons hit .240 for the match.

Sophomore Taniya Golden finished with a match-high 12 kills on .182 hitting. Golden had three blocks.

Freshman Callie Muff had eight blocks on 16 attacks for a.500 hitting. Sophomore Ashlyn Long finished a strong day with seven kills on .419 hitting and four digs.

Sophomore setter Giovanna Ravanhani finished with 29 assists, four kills, six digs and two aces.

SET 1: The Dragons got off to a strong start, winning 8 of the first 10 rallies of the match. A Golden ace serve gave the Dragons an 8-2 lead. The Cardinals pulled within 9-8 and eventually tied the set at 11 after an attack error. Mineral Area led 15-14, but a Golden kill knotted the set at 15 and sparked a 4-0 Hutchinson run. A Ravanhani ace gave the Dragons an 18-15 lead. Leading 21-20, a Golden kill and Cardinal attack error upped the lead to three. A Golden kill and Anna Dean service ace closed out the set for a 25-21 Dragon win.

SET 2: The Dragons never trailed in the second set and there were three ties. Tied at 3-all the Dragons scored four straight and led 7-3 after Ravanhani kill. The lead grew to seven at 15-8 on a McKenzie Murphy kill. The Cardinals pulled within 20-16, but a Ravanhani kill stopped that run. The Dragons, who hit .214 in the set and held Mineral Area to .070 hitting in the set. Murphy and Long teamed up for a double-block on set point for a 25-19 victory.

SET 3: The Dragons trailed 6-4 early in the third set, but rallied to take a 13-9 lead with a 9-3 run capped off by a Dean kill. The Dragons slowly pulled away from that point. A Muff kill make it 16-11. A Ravanahani kill pushed the lead to 19-13. Another Long kill gave the Dragons a 23-14 lead. Golden had kills on the Dragons' final two points to close out the set with a 25-18 victory.