Women’s Volleyball – Forester Feed

The Huntington University volleyball team opened the 2026 season Friday at the Forester Invite, facing a pair of challenging opponents in IU South Bend and Madonna while showcasing a promising blend of veteran leadership and youthful talent.

The Foresters dropped their season opener to IU South Bend in four sets, 25-22, 25-15, 19-25, 26-24, before battling Madonna to five sets in the nightcap and falling just short, 25-20, 19-25, 30-28, 18-25, 15-11.

Huntington entered the season receiving votes in the NAIA Women’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll after a strong 2025 campaign, and Friday’s opening matches offered an early look at a roster blending experienced leadership with a talented incoming class.

Although the results did not fall Huntington’s way, the day offered plenty of encouragement as the Foresters relied heavily on a freshman class making its collegiate debut. Freshmen Hallie Higgs, Ava Johnson, Liz Blackburn, London Murray and Jadyn Samson all saw significant action throughout the day, while sophomore Maggie Hollon emerged as one of Huntington’s top offensive threats.

The youthful group was guided by the veteran leadership of senior Trevyn Terry and juniors Kennedy Urban and Allie Boyer, a trio that provided experience, stability and production in key moments.

Against IU South Bend, Huntington showed resilience after dropping the first two sets. The Foresters responded with a strong third-set performance to extend the match before battling the Titans to the wire in the fourth. Hollon led the attack with 18 kills while hitting .298, and freshman Blackburn added 10 kills in an impressive collegiate debut. Urban directed the offense and contributed defensively, while Johnson and Murray made their presence felt in the back row as the Foresters continued to settle into their season-opening match.

The nightcap against Madonna provided perhaps the most encouraging performance of the day. Huntington rebounded from a first-set loss to claim the second set and later forced a decisive fifth set after delivering one of its strongest stretches of volleyball in the fourth.

Terry turned in one of the day’s standout performances against the Crusaders, finishing with 14 kills while posting a .400 hitting percentage. The senior middle consistently delivered points in critical situations and helped fuel Huntington’s push throughout the tightly contested contest.

Hollon again paced the offense with 16 kills and added 14 digs for a double-double, while Urban orchestrated the attack with 29 assists and 11 digs. Boyer added six kills and provided a steady veteran presence at the net, while Higgs contributed seven kills and three blocks.

The Foresters also received significant production from their freshman class throughout the match. Johnson recorded 21 assists and 10 digs, Blackburn added seven kills and eight digs, and Murray anchored the back row with an impressive 29 digs. Their performances highlighted the growth and poise of a young group competing against experienced opponents on opening day.

“While these are our first two matches of the season with over half a new squad, I believe we could have walked away with two wins today,” said Herber. “I told the girls I did not want them to walk out of the locker room feeling defeated, but rather determined. Learning to finish a tight set is a skill, and we are going to train that along with fundamental areas of the game that we need to execute at a higher level. I was incredibly proud of how London Murray stepped into the libero position today and for Maggie Hollon‘s dominant offensive performance.”

While Huntington’s record sits at 0-2, the combination of veteran leadership and emerging young talent provided plenty of positives to build upon. Terry, Urban and Boyer helped set the tone throughout the day, while Hollon continued to establish herself as a reliable offensive weapon and the freshman class gained valuable collegiate experience. The Foresters will look to build on Friday’s progress when they return to the court Saturday to face IU Columbus at 10 a.m. and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods at 2 p.m. in the final day of the Forester Invite.