The Shadow
SALEM, Va. (VR) – Saturday would see Hollins compete at the second day of the 2026 Maroon Classic. The Green and Gold would get a rematch against North Carolina Wesleyan to start the day. In their tournament finale, Hollins would be the seventh Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) opponent in the first eight matches of the season for Greensboro College. Hollins fared much better against the Bishops after falling to N.C. Wesleyan last weekend in Rocky Mount. NCWU made it two in a row over the Green and Gold with a 3-1 win. In their final match of the Classic, Hollins faced a red-hot Greensboro team that won for the seventh consecutive match and third in Salem with a 3-0 win over Hollins.
Highlights:
- Hollins fell to N.C. Wesleyan 18-25, 18-25, 25-22, 18-25.
- HU opened the day with five straight points only to see the Bishops rattle off 15 straight on their way to a 1-0 lead. NCWU won the second set by the identical 25-18 margin.
- A kill by Norah Madrey gave Hollins a 24-28 lead in the third stanza, The Battling Bishops scored the next five points before Ivy Collins sealed the set win with her fifth kill of the afternoon. However, N.C. Wesleyan would once again post a 25-18 win of the fourth set to take the match.
- Madrey hit over .400 with 12 kills, six blogs and a dig. Abby Neel and Annabelle Kemper each added seven kills with Collins and Cassidy Henderson adding five apiece. Evelyn Harris (18) and Laken Tingler (14) on 32 of Hollins’ 42 kills.
- Madrey had one solo and five assisted blocks with fellow sophomore Collins adding one solo and four assisted blocks. Neel led the back row with 12 digs and senior Fin Bolt added 11.
- Salem defeated Hollins 7-25, 12-25, 17-25.
- The Pride scored 11 of 12 points including a 7-0 run to take control of the match in the opening set on their way to a 1-0 lead.
- Hollins was much more competitive over the next two sets but thanks in part to a 30-11 edge in kills and 23 service aces by Greensboro, it was the team from North Carolina who cruised to a 3-0 win.
- Kemper posted a four-kill afternoon with Aliyah Lightsey and Collins recording a pair of kills each. Madrey served two more aces and Harris led HU with four assists.
- Madrey and Henderson each had two blocks with Peyton Bartholow and Tingler combining for 11 digs.
Up Next: After competing in a pair of tournaments to start the 2026 season, Hollins will enter ODAC play on September 16th when they make the trip to Greensboro to take on Guilford College. The conference opener against the Quakers is scheduled to start at 7:00pm.
