What a match in Kinnelon. The Colts battled through a three-set thriller on Wednesday and came out on top, beating Villa Walsh Academy 2-1 in the kind of match that reminds everyone why they love this sport.
Kinnelon set the tone right away, taking the opening set 25-15 with confident, steady play. Then came a second set for the ages: the two teams traded points deep into extra play before Villa Walsh finally edged it 34-32. Plenty of teams would have folded after a set like that. The Colts did the opposite. They regrouped, came out swinging in the third set, and closed the match out 25-17 to seal a win they absolutely earned.
The stat sheet tells the story of a team effort led by three standouts. Hazel Klouse powered the attack with a team-high nine kills. Sophia Ingargiola ran the offense beautifully, piling up 16 assists as Kinnelon's hitters kept finding their spots. And in the back row, Lea Albik was a defensive spark plug, leading the team with 10 digs to keep rally after rally alive. Add it up and the Colts won the points battle too, outscoring Villa Walsh 82-66 across the three sets.
Wins like this one say a lot about a team. Kinnelon won the first set comfortably, survived losing a 66-point marathon in the second, and still had the energy and belief to finish the job in the third. That is resilience, that is teamwork, and that is a victory this group can carry with them into the rest of the season.
Stars of the Game: Hazel Klouse, the Power Hitter, whose nine kills led the Colts' attack. Sophia Ingargiola, the Conductor, who orchestrated the offense with 16 assists. And Lea Albik, the Rally Saver, whose 10 digs kept Kinnelon fighting on point after point.
Game details compiled from published box scores.