Eagles Drop 3-0 Decision to #10 Stevenson

HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's volleyball team played in its lone match of the week on Friday night against #10 Stevenson. The Eagles kept it close but ultimately fell to the Mustangs 3-0 (24-26, 22-25, 21-25).

Kyle Seeley (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) led the Eagles offense with 15 kills. Matt Vasinko (Loyalhanna, Pa./Derry Area) added nine kills. Ryan Shelton (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Baldwinsville) put up 34 assists. Both Seeley and Shelton added four digs. Chad Albert (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) and Quinn Peterson (Las Vegas, Nev./Shadow Ridge) both tallied three block assists each.

Stevenson led in the first set by no less than two points. The Eagles would tie the match at 17-17 and again at 24-24. Back-to-back kills from the Mustangs would give them the point they needed to take the set.

Juniata led 2-0 in the second set but the Mustangs came back to go up 10-5. JC chipped the deficit to one point at 16-15. The Eagles still trailed 22-21 and had an opportunity to claim the set. A pair of kills from the Mustangs gave them a 24-21 with a kill from Vasinko getting JC to 24-22. A service error on Vasinko, however, gave Stevenson the winning point it needed.

The third set was close early on and the Eagles went ahead 10-8. Stevenson rallied to take the lead and Juniata got to 20-19 before the Mustangs rattled off four straight points to go ahead 24-19. JC was able to make it 24-21 but the match ended on Bryce Workman's (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) service error.

"We struggled with our blocking assignments," said head coach Pat Shawaryn after the match. "We had a really good scouting report. We broke down video and talked to the guys. When it came to our assignments, we really struggled."

Juniata will be idle until next Friday when it hosts the Juniata Invitational next Friday and Saturday. The Eagles will play Lasell at 5:30 p.m. on Friday followed by #4 Nazareth at 8 p.m.