Hammond volleyball edges Glen Burnie in five sets

In the deciding fifth set, Corey said the goal is always to be the first team to win five points, which they accomplished thanks to one of freshman Rebekah Grayson's six total kills.

"I said to them in the huddle before the game, we want to be the first to three points and the first to five. The first three points you have a half percent chance to win the game, and first two five points you have an 80 percent chance to win the game, and although we missed our first serve in that last set, we came back and were the first to five," she said. "I think that makes a difference because it gives you confidence right from the start."

Sophomore Imani Reid (2 kills, 3 blocks) followed with a block, and after three hitting errors by Glen Burnie, Hammond took a 9-3 lead. The Gophers battled back – winning five of the next six points – but the deficit proved to be too much to overcome. Senior Grace Cheney, who led the Golden Bears with 11 kills, finished the match with a kill.

Gophers coach Caitlin Dea said her team's inability to close has been a "thing" this year.

"We're just working on getting that early lead and pushing," she said. "We kind of have end-game issues, so we're trying to get that stamina up and the morale – this has been a rebuilding year – so I'm trying to get my girls in a winning mentality versus just trying to match the other team."

In the opening set, neither team was able to create any separation. However, with the score tied at 17, Glen Burnie won four straight points – including back-to-back aces from Blair Lewis – which proved to be the difference. Sylvia Frye, who finished with seven kills, won set point with a kill.

Hammond bounced back strong and never trailed in the second set. It held leads of 4-1, 8-4, 12-6 and 20-11 before junior Tamara Sweeney's kill closed out the set.

The Gophers picked up their play in the third set and jumped out to an early 9-2 lead. Down 15-8, though, the Golden Bears won nine out of 10 points to take a 17-16 advantage, but Glen Burnie answered immediately with a 5-0 win that included two aces from Mellinna Winfree and a pair of kills from Frye and Lewis.

Lewis finished with seven kills, three aces and a block.

Dea said her team has been battling injuries, which has forced her to play several sophomores. She said her team is still getting used to the team dynamic.

"Every game we're switching it up, so I'm impressed with their consistency and trying to play out every ball," Dea said.

Hammond graduated several key players from last year's team, including all-county players Lauryn Terry, Cambriea Hill and Catie Chervenak. This fall, Corey said, everyone has contributed, which has made team-bonding easy.

"This year's team is a mix of everybody, which has been really cool," she said. "We have freshmen, we have sophomores, juniors and seniors. Everybody has been working so hard and as a team and trying to build up what we want Hammond volleyball to be and look like. Every day we're persevering and getting through the tough stuff. We're here and putting in the work to compete with everybody else."

Hammond (0-3 county, 3-3 overall) def. Glen Burnie, 3-2 [21-25, 25-17, 23-25, 25-8, 15-10]

Other scores:

Read about Atholton falling to South River in four sets, CLICK HERE.

Centennial (2-1, 4-2) def. Arundel, 3-0 [28-26, 25-20, 25-22]

Centennial stats: Jackie Sterenberg (8 kills, 12 digs), Rachel Mathew (8 kills, 2 aces, 8 digs, 1 block), Emily Przybyla (5 kills, 19 assists, 3 aces, 11 digs), Emily Dewhurst (4 kills), Gabby Fairley (2 kills, 1 block), Camryn Allen (17 digs, 1 ace)

Mt. Hebron (2-1, 5-1) def. Southern, 3-0 [25-13, 25-18, 25-5]

Mt. Hebron stats: Elayna Williams (5 kills, 3 aces, 1 block), Amanda Ross (2 kills, 7 aces), Anna Froehlich (3 kills), Rylee Kinsella (3 kills)

Oakland Mills (0-3, 3-3) def. Meade, 3-2 [23-25, 26-28, 25-21, 25-17, 15-4]

Oakland Mills stats: Merina Seldon (21 digs, 1 ace, 2 kills), Naimah Jangha (5 aces, 4 kills, 2 blocks, 30 assists), Rachel Snead (10 kills, 8 digs), Alana Joseph (13 kills, 7 digs), Nya Lightfoot (9 kills, 8 aces), Jordyn Reese (4 kills, 3 aces, 1 block)

Long Reach (1-2, 4-3) def. Chesapeake, 3-2 [25-27, 18-25, 25-23, 25-15, 15-9]

Long Reach stats: Rachel Dotson (6 aces, 4 kills, 9 digs), Angelina Casserly (14 kills, 5 aces, 3 digs, 3 blocks), Grace Kelly (36 assists, 2 aces), Rachel Jacavage (12 digs)

Howard (3-0, 5-1) def. Severna Park, 3-0 [25-8, 25-22, 25-9]

Howard stats: Sarah Sweet (7 kills, 9 digs), Anna Jezerski (6 kills), Christina Kundrat (3 kills, 2 ½ blocks), Grace Sweet (2 aces, 8 digs), Vendela Lundgren (2 aces, 18 assists)

Reservoir (3-0, 6-0) def. Old Mill, 3-0 [25-17, 25-10, 25-14]

Reservoir stats: Amaka Chukwujekwu (13 kills, 5 aces, 2 blocks), Sydney Allen (11 kills, 3 digs), Enitan Omolewa (3 kills, 4 aces, 1 block, 3 digs), Brooke Saunderson (2 kills, 7 digs, 19 assists), Pam Chukwujekwu (2 blocks), Liz Harvey (6 digs), Evelyn Wilson (5 assists)

Glenelg (1-2, 4-2) def. Annapolis, 3-0 [25-11, 25-15, 25-13]

Glenelg stats: Darcy Bishop (10 kills, 4 digs,) Sarah Santiago (7 kills), Maddie Southern (16 assists), Baylee Schoffler (9 assists, 3 aces)

Wilde Lake (2-1, 5-1) def. Northeast, 3-0 [25-6, 25-15, 25-10]

Broadneck def. River Hill (2-1, 2-4), 3-1

Marriotts Ridge (0-3, 3-3) def. North County, 3-0