WOODSTOCK – McHenry senior outside hitter Mollie Hobson found extra motivation during her team’s nonconference match against Marian Central on Monday.

“I want to put down for my team,” Hobson said. “Volleyball, in my opinion, is one of the biggest team sports out there, so I do it for the girls. But it’s also fun to have fun. It’s fun to get those big kills, especially when you’ve got the opposing student section fueling you.

“I think at one point I waved at them. I guess anger fuels me sometimes.”

A fired up Hobson had a big night all around for the Warriors, who coasted in the third set to beat the Hurricanes 25-20, 18-25, 25-11 at Landers Pavilion.

Hobson, an NCAA Division II St. Cloud State University commit, recorded a team-high seven kills, five digs and three aces.

In the final set, Hobson ripped a shot down the line that went between the legs of Marian junior setter Alex Rewiako, igniting some of the biggest cheers from the Warriors.

Moments earlier, Hobson felt she had a point taken away when a touch was not called against Marian. Hobson’s mom, Kyle Hobson, who took over as the Warriors coach just weeks before the start of the season, gave her daughter some words of encouragement.

“I said, ‘Well, if they’re not going to give it to me, I better get the next one then,’ ” Mollie Hobson said. “[My mom] goes, ‘Swing hard, Mollie. Swing hard.’ ... I think she was a little frustrated with me, but that’s the one I ripped down the line.”

McHenry (1-2) was coming off two tough losses last week to Hampshire and Huntley. The Warriors fell to Hampshire in three sets and played close with Huntley, which has won 20 straight Fox Valley Conference matches, in a 27-25, 25-22 loss.

McHenry didn’t want a repeat of its loss to Hampshire, when it dropped the last two sets.

Against Marian, the Warriors were down 3-1 in the third set but responded with 5-0 run and never trailed again.

“It’s fun to get those big kills, especially when you’ve got the opposing student section fueling you. I think at one point I waved at them. I guess anger fuels me sometimes.”

—  Mollie Hobson, McHenry senior outside hitter

McHenry went up 14-8 after back-to-back kills from senior outside hitter Ella Bolland (six kills). Later in the set, a double block from junior setter Ella Jenkins (23 assists, six digs, four aces) and junior middle blocker Sophie Zieba made it 18-8.

It was a complete team effort for the Warriors.

“I think we were just taking control of the court better,” Kyle Hobson said. “One of the things we talked about was people executing in their roles. Getting our hitters swinging, getting our setters setting, and our passers wanting the ball to pass. Just people stepping up.”

Kyle Hobson felt senior outside hitter Erin Nothdorf was one of the players to shine Monday. Nothdorf had five kills, with three coming in the first set to help set the tone.

Senior libero Briana Ricci added 10 digs for McHenry.

“Our energy was a lot better,” Nothdorf said. “Every time we got a kill, everybody was cheering. The communication got a lot better and we started playing together as a team.”

For Marian (0-2), senior outside hitter Ella Conlon had a match-high 14 kills and 17 digs. Junior outside hitter Hadley Rogge added seven kills and two aces, senior middle blocker Jordan Orlos had three kills and three aces, and senior defensive specialist Anna Lingle had three aces.

Rewiako added 18 assists and two kills.

Marian coach Robin Secrist was proud of her team for fighting back after losing the first set and falling behind 6-1 in the second.

Secrist sees good signs early on.

“It’s a matter of perseverance and getting through those tough serve receive battles,” Secrist said. “Every time we got in a funk, I feel like some of our previous teams have given up. This time, they fought back and they got their serves in. We didn’t miss one serve in the second set.

“Overall, I think this is going to be a good year. We just have to work some things out. We’ll get there.”