HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College volleyball team (2-0) opened the 2024 campaign with a pair of sweeps at the Haverford Invitational, defeating Lebanon Valley (25-21, 25-14, 25-16) and Wheaton (Mass.) (25-10, 25-11, 25-22) by identical 3-0 scores inside Gooding Arena.
Haverford 3, Lebanon Valley 0
The Fords started the season strong, with Izabela Potocnjak having a stellar performance against the Flying Dutchmen. The Arizona product recorded 13 kills against just two errors for a .458 hitting percentage, while Taylor Jones added eight kills without an error. Dasha Igonin contributed 13 assists, while Kira Chaney (13 digs) and Eliana Brown (10 digs) also reached double digits. Haverford hit .300 for the match, with Jones contributing a pair of crucial blocks. The Fords held Lebanon Valley to a .083 hitting percentage.
The match was close early, with both teams trading short runs. The Fords went up 10-6 following a 4-0 spurt, but Lebanon Valley battled back to tie the frame at 11-11. Haverford went ahead 16-15 with a Cameryn DeBlecourt kill, and a block from Potocnjak and Jones put the Fords up by two. Lebanon Valley called a timeout as Haverford's run reached 9-1. The visitors got within two as Margaret Cole delivered an ace, but back-to-back kills from Caroline Lucas and Gia Frank secured the set for the Fords.
Set two was also tight in the early going, but a strong service run from DeBlecourt, including a pair of aces, put the Fords up 13-7. Another big stretch with Chaney at the service line extended the lead to 19-11, and Haverford maintained momentum, reaching set point at 24-13 before Jones closed it out at 25-14. Haverford stormed ahead in the third, taking a 10-4 lead with a kill from Brown. The score was 18-8 as Fiona Moord and Potocnjak delivered back-to-back kills, and the Fords remained in control, up 23-10, before a late Lebanon Valley surge made the score a tad bit closer. Lucas ended the set at 25-16 with a kill to give the Fords an opening victory.
The Fords added 10 service aces in the contest, with three each from Chaney, Igonin, and DeBlecourt.
Haverford 3, Wheaton 0
After Wheaton outlasted Stockton in a five-set thriller, the Lyons faced a fired-up Haverford squad that limited them to a .102 hitting percentage, including negative percentages in the first two sets. Although no Haverford player reached double-digit kills, Jones and Brown each notched nine, with Jones delivering another error-free performance. Igonin recorded 10 assists, while Jones, Brown, and Moord excelled in blocking. Haverford tallied 14 service aces, including four each from Potocnjak and Chaney.
The Fords dominated set one, opening with a huge run to take a 13-3 lead after a service ace from Jones. The lead stretched to 20-8 following a Potocnjak ace, and the hosts showed no signs of slowing down, securing the set at 25-10 in an efficient showing.
Set two saw Haverford maintain the same intensity, building an 11-4 lead after a kill from Brown. The margin grew to 18-8 as Potocnjak delivered three consecutive aces, putting the Fords on the verge of a 2-0 lead. DeBlecourt then took over on the service line, and the Fords reached set point at 24-10. Jones closed it out at 25-11.
The third set was more competitive, as Wheaton brought in Sydney Lyon, the hero of their match against Stockton, after she rested in the first two sets. She helped keep the Lyons within striking distance, and the score was tied as late as 22-22 as Wheaton matched Haverford's every move. However, Jones took control down the stretch, energizing the crowd with a kill to make the score 23-22. A critical Wheaton error gave the Fords match point, and Jones sealed the victory with another emphatic kill, securing a perfect 2-0 start to the season.
The Fords return to action tomorrow to close out their home tournament, with an 11 a.m. matchup against Stockton before facing Wheaton again at 1:30 p.m.