Dani Hopp Leads Richmond-Burton to Third Straight Regional Title
The 6-foot outside hitter recorded 16 kills and an estimated vertical jump in the mid-to-high 20s during a 25-9, 25-17 victory over No. 4 Boylan.
By Anthony Lawson ·
Dani Hopp can touch 10 feet 3 inches while wearing volleyball sneakers. The Richmond-Burton senior outside hitter stated she possesses long arms, a trait her teammates find difficult to quantify. Lanee Cooley, the Rockets’ 5-foot-4 libero, described Hopp’s vertical leap as comparable to a Division I athlete, noting it is likely in the mid-to-high 20s. Hopp has never had her jump measured by a professional.
Hopp’s athleticism was on full display Thursday night as she recorded 16 kills to lead the top-seeded Rockets past No. 4 Boylan. The match ended 25-9 and 25-17 in the Class 2A regional final held in Richmond. This victory marks the third consecutive regional championship for the Rockets, who now hold a 35-2 record. Their aggressive serving and defensive coverage secured their spot in the Genoa-Kingston Sectional.
Coach Eric Schulze noted that Hopp is hitting at a .415 efficiency clip this season. The Coastal Carolina commit buried her first two attacks against the Lady Titans, helping the Rockets establish a 4-0 lead early in the game. That advantage allowed the team to control the pace for the remainder of the match. Hopp described the team’s energy as high, stating that the group played with cohesion and fun on the court.
In the opening set, Hopp’s kills contributed to a 4-0 run that pushed the Rockets to a 9-3 lead. Two of her hits secured the final five points of that set. The second set began with a similar surge from the serving line. Malorie Komar led the Rockets to a 10-0 run, with her ace accounting for the sixth point in that sequence.
The Rockets extended their lead to 18-8 before Boylan mounted a response. Paige Trenhaile, Boylan’s lefty libero, hit an ace to cut the deficit to 19-14. Schulze called his first and only timeout to stop the momentum. Mia Furlan dinked a kill immediately after the break to end the run. Schulze acknowledged that the team had slipped slightly in offense but managed to stabilize their defense.
Hopp and freshman Helaina Thibadeau combined to score three straight points to close the match. Hopp finished with eight digs, while Thibadeau added five kills and two block assists. Josie Franckowiak distributed 24 assists along with one ace and two digs. Furlan recorded four of her six total kills in the first set.
Cooley, who led the team with nine digs, attributed the performance to consistent practice. Addy Woods added eight digs and an ace, while Komar collected five digs. Sophie Nelson had two kills, Bri Shufelt recorded two block assists, and freshman Blakely Sterbenz contributed one dig. Sterbenz’s serving also helped establish the early lead in the first set.
Schulze emphasized that the team has focused on refining small details in recent weeks. He stated that the players kept things simple and maintained strong defensive positioning throughout the night. The Rockets will now face No. 2 Riverdale, who are 23-10, in a semifinal match at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
