Blue Jays Outlast Resilient Garnet
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Johns Hopkins junior Natalia Fjalkowski had a match-high 18 kills and 29 digs while teammate Allison Cappalaere added 16 kills to lead the visiting Blue Jays to a 3-2 Centennial victory over Swarthmore Wednesday night in Tarble Pavilion.
Johns Hopkins (11-9 overall, 2-1 CC) prevailed by scores of 26-30, 30-17, 30-23, 34-36, 15-13, defeating the Garnet (10-6 overall, 3-3 CC) for the 13th consecutive time.
Swarthmore was led by senior captain Erica George (12 kills) and junior middle blocker Karen Berk (10 kills, 12 blocks). George was honored before the game for becoming the first Swarthmore volleyball player to amass 1,000 career kills on Sept. 19 at Washington. Swarthmore Director of Athletics Adam Hertz and head coach Harleigh Leach presented George with the game ball from that special evening in Maryland.
Berk also passed the 300-career blocks mark, becoming the first Garnet player (15th in Centennial history) to accomplish the feat. Berk now has 311 career blocks, a school record and 14th most in conference history.
The Blue Jays also got 15 kills and 13 digs from sophomore opposite Kim Jackanich and Adrienne Young contributed 14 kills and four blocks. Hopkins setter Amanda Lewis collected 76 assists and added 13 digs while Lizzie Kay posted 41 digs for the Blue Jays.
Garnet sophomore libero Erin Heaney registered 31 digs and two service aces while junior opposite Vanessa Wells added 10 blocks for Swarthmore.
The Garnet travel to Massachusetts this weekend, taking part in the annual Seven Sisters Championship hosted this year by Mount Hoyoke on Oct. 7.