Tigers Takedown Eagles

ST. LOUIS, Mo.-The Juniata women's volleyball dropped their first match, 3-1 (29-27, 22-25, 23-25, 18-25) to #11 Trinity, Friday morning at WU Field House on the campus Washington University in St. Louis on the opening day of the East to West Battle. 

The opening set didn't start off well for the Eagles as they fell into a 0-6 hole early and had to battle to climb their way out throughout the set. Juniata trailed by as many as seven late, at 16-23. A kill from Victoria Taylor (Middletown, Del. / Delaware Military Academy), a bad set by Trinity, a solo block from Dejia Danhi (Ashburn, Va. / Stone Bridge) followed by a Tigers attack error made it 19-23. Trinity took the next point to reach set point, but the Eagles weren't done. A block from Danhi and Taylor, kills from Marie Gonsar (New Castle, Pa. / Shenango H.S.) and Taylor and a Tiger error knotted things at 24-24. Morgan Edwards (Lancaster, Pa. / Penn Manor) put the Eagles up 26-25, but the Tigers reached set point two times with a Danhi kill keeping the Eagles alive, 26-26 before an error had JC down 26-27. Three straight Tiger errors ended set one as the Eagles won, 29-27. 

The second set was tighter as neither team led by more than four. Late in the set, an ace from Makenna Hallager (Glenolden, Pa. / Merion Mercy Academy) had the Eagles back within one 20-21, but they couldn't ever draw even. Another Taylor kill made it 22-23, but the Tigers took the final two points to tie things up, 1-1.  

The third set was another tight affair, with the Tigers managing to build a late four-point lead, 19-23. Three straight kills from Gonsar and a solo block from Emma Davis (East Berlin, Pa / Dover Area HS) tied things at 23-23 before Trinity captured the final two points to take set three, 2-1.  

The fourth set saw Trinity go on a 5-0 run early to build their lead to 8-15. The Eagles closed the gap to four with a block from Edwards and Danhi to make it 12-16, but couldn't get any closer as the Tigers pulled away win, 25-18. 

The Eagles will take on the reigning National Champion, Emory, at this evening at 5:45