Rushing Breaks Program Single Game Record For Aces as Eagles Sweep Lycoming
WILLIAMSPORT, PA- The Juniata women's volleyball team picked up another 3-0 conference win in a road match against the Lycoming College Warriors on Tuesday night.
Isabella Rushing broke both the Juniata and the Landmark Conference regular-season single-game aces records with her 11 aces on the night. The Juniata record stood for over 30 years, as head coach Heather Pavlik and Sue Barker held the program record of 10. The Landmark record was also 10.
The match started with a 6-4 edge from the Eagles in the first ten points, gaining a lead that they would never give up in the set. A few points later, that lead was bolstered by a 9-1 run, bringing the score to 17-6. The run was buoyed by four aces by Rushing. A 4-0 run from 20-11 to 24-11 brought them to set point, and they converted on their fourth try. The Eagles took set one 25-13 on an attack error by the Warriors. The set also featured
Set two unfolded similarly to set one as another in which the Eagles never trailed. A 6-4 opening was followed by two 3-0 runs and one 9-0 run from the Eagles, conceding only four points in between them. That brought the score to 23-8, the largest lead the Eagles held at that point on the night. The final four points were split 2-2, and the Eagles took set two, 25-10. Madison Mcilwain clinched the final kill on an assist from Elizabeth Cleveland. Rushing's fingerprints were all over the second set as she notched seven aces in the set, clinching both records
Looking to close out the match, the Eagles gave themselves some work to do in the third set. After trailing for the first time in the match at 5-6, the Eagles rebounded with a 9-0 run, one dropped point, and then a 4-0 run, winning 13 out of 14 points in the middle of the set. The Eagles found themselves 11 points ahead at 19-8, and conceded only two more points in the rest of the match. Ava Castillo made the final kill as the Eagles took the set and match, 25-10 and 3-0.
Hannah Webber led the Eagles in kills with eight, while Castillo and Molly Mishinkash added seven. Mari Hansen totaled 24 assists, and Isabelle Fekula made a team-high seven digs on the night. Rushing added six digs and two assists to her 11 aces.
Now 18-2 and 5-0 in conference, the Eagles will continue conference play on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. at Elizabethtown University.