Juniata Takes 3-1 Victory Over Carnegie Mellon

HUNTINGDON, PA – The Juniata women's volleyball team (25-1, 7-0 Landmark) opened up the 2015 Wid Guisler Invitational with a 3-1 (25-18,21-25,25-19,25-18) victory over Carnegie Mellon University. 

The Eagles pushed through the first set to get the 25-18 victory. Glen Brumm (Oro Valley, AZ / Canyon Del Oro) led with three consecutive service aces early in the match. Brumm served well the entire game against the Tartans, finishing with six total aces. 

On the night, Brumm totaled 11 kills, six aces and eight digs for 17 points. 

"The difference with Glen and the beginning of the year showed tonight," head coach Heather Pavlik said. "She showed growth in the fact that she can pull herself out of a bad start and play the rest of the game well. It takes a lot of maturity to be able to do that." 

Carnegie Mellon took set two 25-21 from Juniata. The Tartans opened with a 10-4 lead before tying the match up at a set a-piece.

Juniata showed its resilience and tightened up their play in the final two sets. 

Nakita Gearhart (Waynesboro, PA / Greencastle-Antrim) finished with 14 kills, a .367 hitting percentage and three blocks. Gearhart's effort was followed by Bryce Arnold (Shippensburg, PA / Shippensburg Area), who finished with six kills, a .308 hitting percentage and eight digs. 

Katie Byrne (Annapolis, MD / Broadneck) continued her strong defensive play for the Eagles with 21 digs. 

As a team, the Eagles averaged a .232 hitting percentage. Despite not performing at their peak against Carnegie Mellon, Pavlik was impressed by the resilience the team continues to exhibit. 

"Finding a way to win when you don't have your best stuff is the hallmark of a resilient, mature team," Pavlik said. "We weren't playing our best but they found a way to get it done."

The Wid Guisler Invitiational continues at noon Sat. Oct. 24 with a battle of Eagles as Juniata takes on Bridgewater.