Swarthmore College Athletics

BALTIMORE - The Swarthmore College volleyball team earned a marquee win with a 3-2 reverse sweep at No. 25 Johns Hopkins on Wednesday night. After dropping the first two sets convincingly, the Garnet rallied to win three straight and complete a resilient comeback.

Swarthmore's rookies played a major role in a gutsy road win. Ella Tsai led the team with 22 kills, Kate Roberts recorded a team-high four aces, and Maggie Rankin anchored the defense at the net with a game-high six blocks.

Isabel Adam continued her remarkable season with another well-rounded performance, totaling 15 kills, 12 digs, two blocks and two aces. The junior delivered several crucial points throughout the match, playing a pivotal role in shifting momentum in Swarthmore's favor. 

SWARTHMORE 3, JOHNS HOPKINS 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Johns Hopkins jumped out to an early lead with an 11-4 run to open the first set. Adam sparked a Swarthmore response with a kill and a service ace to cut the deficit to five. The Garnet stayed within striking distance before the Blue Jays strung together three consecutive kills to extend their lead to 19-9. Johns Hopkins maintained its momentum down the stretch, taking the opening set 25-13.

- Swarthmore opened the second set strong with consecutive kills from Tsai and Mailey Wang. However, Hopkins regained control with a 6-1 run and built a 15-8 advantage midway through the stanza. The Garnet battled back to cut the deficit to four, as Adam sparked a 4-1 run with three kills. Hopkins responded with an 8-3 stretch to close out the set, claiming a 25-16 victory.

- The Garnet extended the match with a thrilling third-set victory. Swarthmore jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the must-win set, with Tsai contributing a pair of kills and the Garnet capitalizing on several Blue Jays errors. Swarthmore built a five-point advantage before Hopkins rallied with a 5-0 run to even the score. The teams traded points in a tightly contested finish before the Garnet sealed the 25-23 win with a Hopkins service error and a block from Rankin and Adam.

- After a back-and-forth start to the fourth set, Swarthmore seized control with six consecutive points to take a 12-9 lead. Adam and Rankin each recorded a kill during the run, while Adam capped the stretch with a service ace. Following a timeout, the Blue Jays briefly halted Garnet momentum with a kill, but Swarthmore responded with four-straight points to force another Hopkins timeout. The Garnet extended their advantage to as many as eight points before the Jays mounted a late rally, using an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to 24-22. However, Swarthmore held on for the 25-22 victory, capitalizing on a Hopkins service error to force a decisive fifth set.

- Swarthmore carried its momentum into the deciding set, opening with a Tsai kill and a Roberts service ace. The Garnet jumped out to a 4-1 lead before the Blue Jays stormed back with four-straight points to take the advantage. Swarthmore responded with another four-point run, highlighted by consecutive kills from Adam, to pull ahead 8-5. Hopkins made one final push to even the score at 9-9, but back-to-back kills from Adam and Tsai helped the Garnet regain a three-point cushion. Tsai, who put together another eye-catching performance, fittingly sealed the victory with the match-clinching kill to secure a 15-12 win. 


GARNET LEADERS
Kills: Tsai 22
Assists: Sheridan 23, Matsukawa 22
Aces: Roberts 4
Blocks: Rankin 6
Digs: Eyer 20

UP NEXT
The Garnet (12-3, 5-0) look to finish the week strong against SUNY New Paltz and Stockton University on Saturday.