Hereford's volleyball team isn't accustomed to being considered an underdog.
And the way the host Bulls played Tuesday night in their season opener, they probably won't wear that label again for awhile after No. 14 Hereford defeated No. 12 Towson, 21-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-23, in Parkton.
Towson reached a Class 3A state semifinals last season.
"It gives us an indication of where we are right now," said Hereford coach Dave Schreiner, whose team lost in the Class 2A state semifinal rounds the past three years. "Our passing has to be good and I thought it was as good as it has been tonight. I think we have a lot more weapons and offense than we had last year."
Schreiner was particularity impressed with the performance of junior outside hitter Maggie May, who finished with 12 kills while going 15-for-16 from the service line.
"She really has come on," Schreiner said of the returning starter. "At the beginning of the season, we kind of looked at her as maybe setting because she set pretty much set all this past club season. I thought about her playing in the middle, but she is one of our top outside hitters."
Hereford also received solid performances from senior outside hitter Erin Collins (8 kills) and junior setter Erica Hilse (15-for-16 serving).
Junior outside hitter Sara Mandreja racked up 14 kills for Towson and teammate Logan Marsh, a junior setter, had 28 assists. Senior outside hitter Nicole Race chipped in six kills and five aces.
Hereford led once in the first set, 2-1, before the Generals went on an 11-4 run behind the serving of Mandreja and Marsh. The Bulls pulled to within 13-10, but couldn't get any closer.
Hereford looked like a different team in the last three games.
They jumped out to a 7-3 lead and never trailed thanks to the passing of libero Heather Collins and net play of May.
The begging of the third set was all Hereford. The Bulls raced out to an 8-1 advantage.
Towson fought back to go ahead 17-14, but Hereford closed with an 11-3 spurt.
"I don't know that our girls worked as hard as they could have," Towson coach Emily Berman said. "I think they watched a lot of plays happen in front of them instead of doing something about it. They would let balls drop. When we are at practice, those balls aren't dropping."
The Bulls were impressive in the final game. After a 10-10 tie, they went on a 10-3 run.
Towson, however, rebounded to tie it at 23-23.
But Hereford finished off the Generals when Mandreja's kill attempt went into the net and Hilse's serve wasn't returned.
"When you can win those type of games," Schreiner said. "That's going to define you."