No. 2 Juniata Sweeps Stevens Tech 3-0, Improves to 15-2 Overall
Hoboken, N.J. – After pulling out two tough sets, No. 2 Juniata College men’s volleyball outlasted No. 7 Stevens Tech Friday night for its fifth straight win in a 3-0 (27-25, 26-24, 25-17) decision. Juniata is now 15-2 overall on the year as the Ducks dropped to 10-5.
By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Hoboken, N.J. – After pulling out two tough sets, No. 2 Juniata College men's volleyball outlasted No. 7 Stevens Tech Friday night for its fifth straight win in a 3-0 (27-25, 26-24, 25-17) decision. Juniata is now 15-2 overall on the year as the Ducks dropped to 10-5.
"We're continuing to find ways to win," said head coach Kevin Moore. "We're in close sets, we're in tight matches and regardless of who's out on the court, the guys are finding a way to win."
Juniors Alex McColgin (Buffalo, N.Y./Hamburg) and Joe Bortak (Jeannette, Pa./Penn Trafford) finished with double-figure kills. McColgin earned a match-high 13 while Borak picked up 11, respectively, hitting .421 on the night. Sophomore Matt Elias (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) had his fifth 40-assist night of the season and senior Eric McCarthy (Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook) earned a match and season-high 15 digs.
The first set had been tied 17 times already before Stevens tied it up 24-all off a block. Senior Ross Madden (Richmond, Va./Deep Run) came up with a big kill from Elias to put Juniata on set point. But the Ducks tied it up for the 19th time on a kill from Gabe Shankweiler. Juniata responded with a kill by Bortak and sat on its second set point. The drama ended on an attack error from Shankweiler and Juniata took the 1-0 lead. Madden didn't start the match, but came in at a crucial time to help lift the Eagles.
"We have confidence in whoever is out on the court," Moore added. "We've used different pins throughout the year to win matches. It's not who starts the match, it's who finishes it. Whoever we have out there, not only do we have confidence in them, we've succeeded with them."
Set two was just as competitive. The Eagles led by as many as five points before Stevens clawed back and tied it up 23-23. Another kill from Bortak had Juniata on set point, but the Ducks picked up a kill and tied it at 24-all. The Eagles would push the next two points off a kill from junior Justin Waldorf (Eden, N.Y./Eden) and a block by Elias and sophomore Chad Albert (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley).
Juniata took the lead early in set three and never looked back. They remain on the road Saturday, March 1 heading up to Vassar College for a tri-match. The Eagles open tomorrow at 1 p.m. against No. 1 SUNY New Paltz before taking on host Vassar at 5 p.m.
Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by logging onto www.juniatasports.net. And don't forget to follow us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).