Women’s Volleyball Takes Two Matches in Landmark Competition

TOWSON, MD- The #8 Juniata women's volleyball team stayed perfect in Landmark play as the Eagles defeated Catholic and Goucher on the second weekend of conference competition. The Eagles improve their overall record to 18-2 and are 4-0 in the Landmark.

In their first match, JC defeated Catholic 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-19). Kelly Reynolds (Upper Saint Clair, PA/Upper Saint Clair) had a double-double with 36 assists and 11 digs. Megan Moroney (Mentor, OH/Mentor) tallied 12 kills, four assisted blocks, and two solo blocks. Amelia Kepler (Kane, PA/Kane Area) contributed 11 kills, three digs, and three assisted blocks. Christine Sumner (Dublin, OH/Bishop Watterson) chipped in 10 kills and four digs. Brittani Young (Columbia, PA/Hempfield Area) finished with 17 digs.

The Cardinals went ahead 14-10 in the first set before the Eagles rallied to tie it up.  Catholic regained its advantage with two straight points but Juniata would go on an 11-3 run to end the game and take the set. JC led 17-8 in the second game and withstood a late rally by the Cardinals to win and go up 2-0. Juniata had several seven-point leads in the third frame and led by as much as 22-13 as they won 25-19 to take the match.

In the nightcap, the Eagles had little trouble with host Goucher as they won 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-13). Katie Dickens (Claremont, CA/Vivian Webb) had a career-high 38 assists and eight digs. Lydia Mueller (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) notched nine digs which was a career-high for her. Bryce Arnold (Shippensburg, PA/Shippensburg Area) pitched in 14 kills and nine digs. Young and Gabrielle Ooyama (Fairport, NY/Fairport) both had six digs each. Moroney picked up 10 kills.

Juniata led throughout most of the first set to easily take it. The second set saw the Gophers score the first six points to take a surprising 6-0 lead early on. The Eagles would settle down as they went on an 8-2 run to tie it up at 8-all.  Goucher fought back with two points to go up 10-8 but a run of four points by Juniata gave it a 12-10 advantage and it never trailed again to win the second set by seven. The Eagles led for all but one time in the third game to win it easily.

The Eagle will next compete in the Elmhurst Invitational next weekend. JC faces #13 St. Thomas (MN) at 5 p.m. local time followed by #4 Washington (Mo) at 9 p.m. on Friday night and wraps up with the #10 host Blue Jays on Saturday at 2 p.m.