Saturday morning in Derry had all the makings of a heavyweight match — Pinkerton and Londonderry, both undefeated, both ranked at the top of Division I, and only a few miles apart. Londonderry came out swinging, cruising through set one, but Pinkerton answered with wins in sets two and three. The Lancers forced a deciding fifth with a strong push in set four, only for the Astros to hold their ground late and close it out 3–2 in front of a packed gym.

The match had long rallies and plenty of momentum swings, but Pinkerton seemed to win the scrappy points more often than not. Londonderry had standout moments from Riley Campo and setter Mady Normand, while Annie Williams and Kendall Farnsworth added firepower, yet a few small errors piled up at the wrong times. Pinkerton countered with steady play across the board — Aaliyah Price-Gooden was a force in the middle, and Maddie Andrade’s defense and swings from the pin helped keep the pressure on.

Both programs showed why they’re at the top of Division I — and why this likely won’t be the last time they battle it out.

Kennidy Asche brings you all the play-by-play, while Josh Rose brings you all the highlights and the post-game interview/celebration with the entire team.

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