Women’s volleyball advances to regional semis with 3-0 win over Cabrini

ASTON, Pa. – Juniata College women's volleyball defeated Cabrini College in three sets Friday evening at the Mirenda Center on Neumann University campus in the NCAA Division III women's volleyball regionals.

Set scores for the match were 25-13, 25-7, and 27-25.

In the first set, it was a relatively close match between the Cavaliers and Eagles until senior libero Libby Morrison (Portland, Ore./Oregon Episcopal School) stepped up to the service line and led Juniata (26-7) on a five-point scoring run to put Juniata up 13-5.

After just two Cabrini (22-11) serves, freshman Brittani Young (Columbia, Pa./Helpfield Area) extended the Eagles' lead to 17-7 during her service, with the help of two senior Amanda Schmidt kills (Boswell, Pa./North Star) and a sophomore Rachelle Wiegand (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) termination.

From that point forward the Cavaliers did not come within eight points of the Eagles, and Juniata drove home the set win with a Wiegand kill assisted by sophomore Courtney Greenberg (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myer).

Juniata kept the second set short, sweet, and-to-the-point, only allowing Cabrini seven points and never letting the Cavs have the lead.

The Eagles cruised to an early 3-0 lead with junior Kelsey Fuller (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) and sophomore Courtney Lydick (McKena, Pa./General McLane) kills, and a Cabrini ball-handling error.

Wiegand took over the service towards the end of the set with Juniata leading 18-7. With Wiegand serving, the Eagles went on an eight point scoring run that featured a Schmidt termination, Wiegand service ace, and three Fuller kills.

Juniata registered 15 kills with only one error on 29 attacks for a .483 hitting percentage in set two.   

The third set was certainly a horse of a different color, as the Eagles had to scratch and claw for the win. Cabrini managed to keep it close throughout the game and did not allow the point margin to be any higher than five.

Despite losing the lead at 23-24, the Eagles managed to battle back with the help of two Cabrini attack errors and a Wiegand termination.

Juniata hit for an impressive .316 match attack percentage and held the Cavaliers to just a .053 hitting percentage.

Fuller led the Eagles in terminations with 15 (5.0 kills/set), eclipsing her previous 2.33 kills/set average. Wiegand pitched in nine kills, while Lydick and Schmidt threw in six apiece.

The Eagles' American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Mid-Atlantic Region team selections, Greenberg and Morrison, each had standout performances, with Greenberg dishing up 42 assists and Morrision sprawling for 25 digs.

The squad finished the night with five blocks. Lydick had a solo block in the second set, while teammates Fuller, Schmidt, and freshman Amelia Kepler (Kane, Pa./Kane Area) each tossed in two block assists.

With the victory, Juniata advances to the regional semifinals where they will face the University of Mount Union (25-7) tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 12, at 3:30 p.m. at the Mirenda Center. Mount Union advanced to the semifinals after defeating Lebanon Valley College earlier Friday afternoon in five sets.

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