Women's Volleyball Opens Landmark Play with 3-0 Victory Over Crusaders

HUNTINGDON, PA – The No. 1 Juniata women's volleyball team (12-0, 1-0 Landmark) opened up Landmark Conference play with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-13) victory against the Susquehanna Crusaders (10-6, 0-1 Landmark) Tuesday night. 

Kristin Collins (Freedom, PA / Ambridge) came out with some force in the match and led the team with a .545 hitting percentage and six kills. Glen Brumm (Oro Valley, AZ / Canyon Del Oro) also played an impressive game, recording five kills and a .308 hitting percentage. 

Kelly Reynolds (Upper Saint Clair, PA / Upper Saint Clair) and Megan Moroney (Mentor, OH / Mentor) each recorded three service aces. 

"We served tougher," head coach Heather Pavlik said. "Other than the second game, where we missed a bunch, I think the serving was really good. We gave them too many free points on our serving and hitting errors."

Juniata totaled 13 attack errors and seven service errors, 12 of those errors came in the second set.

"We kept telling them in the huddles that it was way more about what we were doing on our side of the net," Pavlik said. "They settle down in the third. Tonight wasn't our best stuff but they're finding a way to get things done and that's what good teams do." 

The Eagles pulled together in the third set and dominated the Crusaders. Susquehanna was unable to record more than a two-point run in the third set. The Eagles totaled 12 kills in the third, while the Crusaders had six.

The win improves Juniata's win streak over Landmark Conference opponents to 65 games, including postseason play.

"There's a lot of talent here, but they've got to continue to get better every day," Pavlik said. "There's competition for spots constantly. Every day in the practice gym they're playing against somebody else that's really talented."

Juniata continues conference play this weekend with a trip to Elizabethtown, PA. They will first stop at No.12 Eastern on Friday night. The match will begin at 7:00pm.