Brickies Dominate the Net in 3-0 Sweep of Lowell By Freelance Reporter Scotty Forrester Hobart's strength this season starts at the net, where the Brickies feature one of the area's most athletic and imposing front rows. With Alissa Hope, Addisyn Moore, Taryn Babcock and Cadence Costello providing size, athleticism and hitting power up front, Hobart has the ability to control a match at the net. Add libero Ira Hicks patrolling the back row, and the Brickies can make it extremely difficult for opponents to find the floor. That combination was on full display against Lowell. Hobart controlled the net, served aggressively and played outstanding defense on its way to a convincing 25-19, 25-10, 25-15 conference sweep of the Red Devils. The opening set proved to be the most competitive of the night. Hobart built a 15-9 advantage before Lowell rallied behind senior outside hitter Emily Aguilar. One of the area's top players, Aguilar used her athleticism and jumping ability to make an impact both attacking and blocking, helping the Red Devils pull within 15-14. Lowell's Peyton Lonardi later tied the set at 17-17 with a powerful cross-court kill, but Hobart responded. Babcock found open space with a well-placed tip, something the middle hitter did effectively throughout the match. The Brickies eventually pushed their advantage to 23-19 before Costello stepped to the service line and delivered back-to-back aces to close out the first set, 25-19. The second set showed just how quickly Hobart can take control of a match. Behind the serving of Sophia McDowell and dominant net play from Moore and Hope, the Brickies raced out to a 10-0 lead. Hobart repeatedly turned Lowell returns into scoring opportunities, with Moore and Hope hammering kills and the Brickies' block making it difficult for the Red Devils to get anything going offensively. Lowell's Brooke Dawson finally stopped the run with a cross-court winner. Lonardi followed with an ace and a kill to cut the margin to 10-3, but Hobart quickly regained control. Hope, Moore, Costello and Babcock continued to dominate at the net while Hicks anchored the defense behind them. The Hobart libero seemed to get a hand on everything that came her way, repeatedly extending rallies and giving the Brickies another opportunity to attack. Hobart eventually opened a commanding 23-9 advantage before a Lowell return found the net, giving the Brickies a 25-10 second-set victory. If the second set showcased Hobart's depth, the third belonged to Hope. The senior took over at the net, delivering kills and blocks as Lowell struggled to find an answer. Babcock continued her outstanding night as well, giving Hobart an early 7-5 advantage with another perfectly placed tip. Her ability to recognize open areas on the Lowell side of the floor complemented the power of Hobart's other hitters and gave the Red Devils another problem to defend. Hobart held a 13-11 advantage before Hope delivered another block to help extend the lead to 15-11. Lowell had one final run. Senior setter Josephine Laub made one of the defensive plays of the night with an outstanding dig that helped the Red Devils pull within 15-14. But the Brickies answered immediately. Hope recorded two more kills as Hobart scored three straight points to push the lead to 18-14. Aguilar gave Lowell its final point with another strong play at the net, but from there Hobart's front row and defense closed the door. The Brickies surged ahead 24-15 before Marin Ray delivered the final point of the match with a kill, completing the 25-15 victory and the three-set sweep. The final point was especially meaningful for Ray, who is expected to undergo surgery and will be missed by the Brickies as both a player and senior leader. Afterward, Hope said Hobart's communication was a major reason for the team's performance. "Our communication tonight was great," Hope said. "All of us were on the same page, and when that happens, we are a very dangerous team. "Our block was really good, and our defense and serving were the best we have done all year. Beating Lowell for the second straight time, especially 3-0 on their home court, should really help us the rest of the season." Hope pointed to the 10-0 start in the second set as the moment Hobart really seized control. "The way we served the ball and the runs that came out of it were huge," Hope said. "Scoring 10 straight points in game two to go up 10-0 was when we really felt like we had control of the match. I'm proud of the way we played." Head coach Madison Price was equally pleased with how complete the Brickies were throughout the lineup. "All the girls were so good tonight that there really wasn't a weakness anywhere on the floor," Price said. "Winning the first game 25-19 and then coming out in game two and scoring the first 10 points gave us a lot of confidence. We have the ability to stay with anyone if we come ready to play, so I was glad to see their confidence and talent at such a high level tonight." Hobart's offensive firepower will get plenty of attention, and rightfully so. Hope, Moore, Babcock and Costello give the Brickies multiple weapons capable of taking over a match. But what made Hobart especially difficult to handle against Lowell was what happened when those hitters weren't putting the ball away. The Brickies blocked at the net, Hicks kept balls alive in the back row, and McDowell and Costello created long scoring runs from the service line. On this night, Lowell simply couldn't find enough openings. Hobart could. JV LOSES A TIGHT ONE IN 3 SETS I want to thank Hobart's Mariah Walsdorf for not only helping me get into the school Thursday night, but also for taking the time to talk with me following the JV match. Hobart's JV team played an outstanding match before falling to Lowell in a three-set thriller. The Red Devils won a back-and-forth opening set, 28-26, before the Brickies responded with an impressive victory in the second. Lowell eventually regrouped to take the deciding third set. Afterward, Mariah talked about her team's effort and also gave me some insight into what I was about to see from Hobart's varsity team. "I thought the team played well, but we just got too far behind in game one," Walsdorf said. "We came back strong and made it 28-26. In the second game, we came out ready and won in convincing fashion to set up game three, but Lowell came back to beat us. I think we lost a little of our energy after making such a big comeback in game one and playing so well in game two." Then she told me to watch Hobart's varsity front row. "The varsity for Hobart is really strong," Walsdorf said. "We have big hitters up front like Alissa Hope, Addisyn Moore, Taryn Babcock and Cadence Costello. They are all very athletic and can cover the net better than any team in the area. "Our libero, Ira Hicks, will show you just how good she is tonight, too. The ball will not hit the floor when it's around her. Ira can get to everything." As it turned out, Mariah knew exactly what she was talking about. Everything she told me about the Brickies showed up during Hobart's three-set varsity victory. The hitters controlled the net, the defense kept balls alive, and Hicks seemed to be everywhere on the floor. I also want to recognize Marin Ray, who played her final match of the season Thursday night. Ray is not only an outstanding player and setter, but by everything I saw and heard, she is an outstanding teammate and person as well. She will certainly be missed by the Brickies. I came into the night not knowing much about this Hobart team. Thanks to Mariah, I knew exactly what to watch for — and she was right. Judging by the way she talked about her teammates and the way she competed in the JV match, Walsdorf is another young Brickie worth keeping an eye on. She has an opportunity to become a very good player for Coach Madison Price in the years ahead.