Emotional end to home slate comes with Raiders finishing off perfect season at The Pit

QUINCY — The Pit provided the perfect atmosphere to goodbye, even if it had Emma Hoing shedding tears.

“I was so emotional tonight,” Hoing said. “I cried.”

She also delivered. A senior outside hitter on the Quincy Notre Dame volleyball team, Hoing threw down a team-leading eight kills to power the Raiders to a 25-19, 25-15 victory over Quincy High School in the final regular-season match in their own gym.

The teams also celebrated “Pink Night” to benefit breast cancer, doing so in front of a raucous crowd.

“Just the fact so many people came out to support not only us but the cause of breast cancer, it was special,” QND senior outside hitter Delaney Beard said. “It was really cool to play for that cause and play for something bigger than ourselves.”

The victory marked a perfect run at home as QND (28-2) went 8-0 at The Pit this season and the seniors — Hoing, Beard and defensive specialist Ella Hummel — finished 23-1 at home over the past three years.

“It;’s going to be hard coming back next year as an alumni,” Beard said. “It feels weird just saying that.”

What isn’t weird is the Raiders delivering another emphatic effort.

The 19 points QHS scored in the first set marked the most QND has allowed at home this season, and every match at The Pit was decided in straight sets. The Blue Devils briefly led 11-10 in the first set before a five-point run on Kourtney Keck’s serve put the Raiders in control.

The Raiders beat the Blue Devils 25-10, 25-19 in the championship game of the QHS Early Big Bird Tournament on Aug. 27, but the way QND finished this time resonated.

“That game solidified how we’re playing going to a big tournament with a lot of talented teams that will make sure we’re ready for the postseason,” Beard said. “It felt good this time taking it to (QHS) and never taking our foot off the gas.”

Sophomore middle blocker Eva Breckenkamp finished with seven kills and junior setter Annie Eaton dished out 23 assists for the Raiders. Junior outside hitter Ayanna Douglas led the Blue Devils with four kills and junior outside hitter Kaley Summers had six digs.

“I liked our competitiveness,” Hoing said. “We knew we had to bring all that we had. That’s what I loved.”

The crowd helped ratchet up the intensity.

“It was awesome,” QND coach Courtney Kvitle said. “The atmosphere was good. There were a lot of people here. It was a good reason to come out and support the volleyball teams and the community. It’s so awesome when you see this many people here for the girls.”

It felt like a hug as you say goodbye.

“I know I’m always going to be surrounded by great people,” Hoing said. “It’s OK to be sad because they make it OK to be emotional. They make everything we do worth it.”

That brought out the tears.

“It’s right before postseason and we needed that competition and we needed that excitement,” Hoing said. “Being in The Pit one last time … it was emotional.”

For everyone.

“It was definitely filled with a lot of emotions, a lot of happiness, a lot of bittersweet,” Beard said.