SCRANTON, Pa. — The No. 3 Berry College volleyball team closed out the Scranton Invitational with a dominant 3-0 sweep of host Scranton on Sunday morning at the John Long Center, taking the Royals down 25-18, 25-21 and 25-16.
The Vikings came out with control from the opening serve, using an efficient offensive attack and strong play at the net to establish an early advantage. Berry continued to answer Scranton throughout the opening set, eventually pulling away late to take the first frame, 25-18.Berry's offense was clicking early, with
Madie Whitehead,
Keira Kruk and
Maddie Dahl leading the attack.
Ava Brovet helped keep the offense balanced throughout the set, while Berry's defense limited Scranton's opportunities to string together scoring runs. The Royals battled to keep the opening set close, but Berry's efficiency proved to be the difference. The Vikings finished the frame with 14 kills and just two errors, hitting .343 as a team. Berry closed out the opening set, 25-18, to take a 1-0 match lead.
The second set featured a more competitive battle from the beginning. Scranton continued to challenge Berry offensively, but the Vikings consistently responded with kills and strong serving. Dahl made her presence felt from the service line, while
Cali Armstead helped Berry control the net. As the set progressed, Berry began to create separation. The Vikings continued to find success offensively and took advantage of Scranton errors to maintain their lead. Whitehead and Kruk continued to produce kills, while Brovet distributed the ball effectively to keep the Royals from settling into a defensive rhythm. Berry's strongest offensive set of the match came in the second, as the Vikings recorded 15 kills with only three errors for a .375 hitting percentage. Scranton continued to fight late, but Berry held its advantage and finished the set 25-21.
With the Vikings leading 2-0, Berry entered the third set looking to finish the match in straight sets. The Vikings quickly established control, while Scranton struggled to generate the same offensive production it had shown earlier. Berry's defense consistently kept rallies alive, with
Andrea Hurt leading the defensive effort and Kruk and
Shelby Harris also contributing digs. Berry's serving continued to cause problems for the Royals, with Dahl finishing the match with a team-high five aces. Berry also received strong play at the net from Armstead, who finished with five blocks. The Vikings steadily extended their advantage throughout the third set. Scranton attempted to make a late push, but Berry remained composed and continued to answer. The Vikings closed the final set, 25-16, completing the 3-0 sweep.
Whitehead led Berry offensively with 11 kills, while Kruk added 10 and Dahl finished with seven. Brovet finished with 31 assists, directing a Berry offense that hit .323 for the match. Dahl led all players with five service aces, while
Ailee England added two and Hurt recorded one. Armstead paced the Vikings at the net with five blocks, with Whitehead and Dahl each adding two. Hurt led the defensive effort with 18 digs, followed by Kruk with nine and Harris with five.
Berry finished with 40 kills on 96 attacks, committing only nine errors for a .323 hitting percentage. The Vikings also held advantages in total points, 56-40, and kills, 40-32. Scranton finished the match hitting .149.
Madie Whitehead was named to the All-Tournament Team.
