Urbana volleyball holds off Frederick in four-set thriller
Frederick took its first set from Urbana since 2019 and pushed the Hawks throughout, but Urbana finished off a 29-27, 26-28, 25-13, 25-23 victory.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
Urbana beat Frederick 3-1. Set scores were 29-27, 26-28, 25-13 and 25-23. Frederick took its first set from Urbana since 2019. The fourth set included 17 ties. Frederick fell to 3-1. Urbana has now won two straight matches. Kiniyah Ball led a strong Frederick defensive effort. Naomi McNeal delivered Urbana’s match-winning attack.
Frederick volleyball suffered its first loss of the season Tuesday, but the performance may have been one of the clearest signs yet of how far the program has come.
The Cadets pushed perennial county power Urbana through four highly competitive sets before the Hawks prevailed 29-27, 26-28, 25-13, 25-23.
Frederick’s second-set victory was particularly significant.
It marked the first time the Cadets had taken a set from Urbana since 2019.
Three of the four sets were close throughout, and the fourth included 17 ties.
Frederick coach Courtney Hutchinson said afterward that she had never seen one of her Frederick teams play at that level during her four years leading the program.
Urbana finally closed the match when Naomi McNeal delivered a well-placed attack on match point that Frederick standout Kiniyah Ball could not quite control.
Most of the night, Ball helped anchor a Cadets defense that made Urbana’s hitters work for nearly every point.
Urbana coach Emily Sexton specifically praised Ball, noting that the Division I libero is committed to Tennessee and presents an unusual defensive challenge for opposing hitters.
Frederick middle hitter Alaina Henderson also produced one of the night’s standout moments with a solo block that drew a huge reaction from the Cadets’ bench.
For Urbana, the victory continued a turnaround after an 0-3 start.
The Hawks have now won two straight, including a victory over Oakdale, and next face another difficult county matchup against Tuscarora.
Frederick dropped to 3-1, but its performance against one of the county’s traditional powers suggested the Cadets may be ready to compete at a different level this season.
WHAT IT MEANS
The result goes into the standings as a Frederick loss, but the performance showed the Cadets can now push one of the county’s strongest programs deep into a match.
For Urbana, surviving that challenge provides another sign that a young rebuilding group may be finding its footing after a slow start.
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