Eagles Soar Past Tigers

SPRINGFIELD, OH- The Juniata men's volleyball team took the last three sets against Wittenberg to win, 3-1 (24-26, 26-24, 25-18, 25-14), to conclude play on day one of the 2020 Jim Coleman Invitational Friday night in the Pam Evans Smith Arena.

The opening set was competitive throughout, with the Tigers inching ahead and grabbing set point at 21-24. A service error and two attacking errors by Wittenberg brought Juniata even, but following a Tiger timeout, they claimed the final two points to take set one, 24-26.  

The second set saw the Eagles lead by as many as five early at 12-7, but the Tigers rattled off five straight points a bit later to retake the lead 14-16. Juniata managed to claw their way back, with a kill from Joe Fick (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Township), a Wittenberg attack error, and a Robert Bowling (Columbus, Ohio / Hilliard Darby) ace made it 21-20. A few plays later another Fick kill gave JC set point, 24-22. Wittenberg managed to even things at 24 by taking the next two points, but a Kevin Duffy (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle HS) kill and a Tiger attack error ended set two, 26-24.

The third set saw Juniata lead the entire way, but it took them until late in the set to create some separation. A kill from the Tigers pulled them within two, 20-18, prior to two attack errors and a kill from David Hibner (Burke, Va. / Lake Braddock Secondary) put the Eagles in the driver's seat. The hosts called timeout, but to no avail as a kill from Max Cooley (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park H.S.), and an additional Hibner kill ended the set at 25-18. 

The fourth set opened with the Eagles building an early lead and the Tigers trying to stay even, with a three-point surge from them making it 7-6. Kills from Cooley and Bowling along with a Michael Young (Westlake Village, Calif. / Westlake Village) followed by another kill from Bowling made it 11-6, forcing a Tiger timeout. Hibner notched a solo block and combined with Bowling for another to push the lead to seven as the Eagles cruised to their second win of the night.  

Juniata will take on Lakeland tomorrow at noon.