Eagles Ground River Hawks

SELINSGROVE, Pa.- The Juniata women's volleyball team opened conference play with a 3-0 (29-27, 25-11, 25-19) sweep of Susquehanna, Saturday morning at Houts Gymnasium. 

Juniata trailed early in the opening set, but kills from Victoria Taylor (Middletown, Del./Delaware Military Academy) and Dejia Danhi (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) helped pull them even at 11-11 before a River Hawk attack error put them ahead 12-11. The River Hawks went ahead with 6-0 surge that featured three straight service aces. Juniata quickly responded with two kills from Morgan Edwards (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor), an ace from Makenna Hallager (Glenolden, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) along with some Susquehanna attack errors put JC back in the lead, 19-18. The teams traded points as neither could gain any separation before JC managed to take the final point via River Hawk attack error to win set one, 29-27.  

The second set opened with JC jumping out to a 10-4 lead. Alyssa Tavera (Whittier, Calif. / La Salle H.S.) had an ace and a kill during the run, Marie Gonsar (New Castle, Pa./Shenango H.S.) tallied two kills, while Marybeth Weihbrecht (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Edwards each had one kill. Juniata controlled the set as Susquehanna never got closer, with two River Hawk attack errors ending the set, 25-11. 

Set three opened as a back and forth affair before JC managed to get separation midway through. Two kills from Weihbrecht and one from Gonsar put the Eagles ahead 17-11, but Susquehanna took the next three points to put the lead at three, 17-14. A block from Weihbrecht and an error from Susquehanna pushed the lead back to five. Susquehanna got back within four at 21-17, but two kills from Edwards pushed JC to match point at 24-19. Susquehanna called timeout, but an ace from Sophia Gingrich (Minneapolis, Minn./Minneapolis Southwest H.S.) ended the match for the Eagles.