Hagerstown took a hard-fought win over Richmond’s volleyball team on Saturday, Aug. 29.
Richmond head coach Kevin Ross said before the match that his team is getting better and that their record does not reflect who they are becoming.
Hagerstown head coach Brian Dale said before the match that he was concerned.
“I have been telling our players all week that Richmond is much better than their record might indicate and that they have played a much more difficult schedule than we have,” he said.
The Lady Red Devils were everything their coach said they were and the Hagerstown coaches’ fear was realized when Richmond won the first two sets.
The first set was tied nine times, the last time at 21-21, before Richmond went on a 4-1 run to win it. The second set was very similar. The set was tied eight times before Richmond pulled away to win again and move one set away from a sweep.
The Lady Tigers dug in and fought back, winning the third and fourth sets to force a fifth and final set to determine a winner. The Tigers led wire-to-wire to take a narrow 3-2 win.
Ross said after the match that his team is improving. “We are fighting harder and developing,” Ross said, “but now we have to learn how to win. It is a mindset.”
Coach Dale was happy to win but not happy with how the match played out. “We have to learn that we are not as good as we think we are,” Dale said. “We are still making the same mistakes we have been making all year and that has to stop. I hope we grew up today.”
Hagerstown (4-1) 22 20 25 25 15
Richmond (1-9) 25 25 17 19 7
Hagerstown stat leaders: Assists: Lilah Doerstler 38, Digs: Kennedy Romack 21, Kills: Raleigh Doerstler 22. Richmond stat leaders: Kills: Addison Belanga 12, Digs: Bryah Orr 14
JV results: Hagerstown won 2-0
A version of this article appeared in the September 2 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
