LANGHORNE, Pa.-The Juniata men's volleyball team pushed their winning streak to five with a 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-16) victory over Cairn, Saturday evening.
Set one saw the Eagles race out to 9-3 lead and never look back. Two errors from the Highlanders and Joe Fick (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Township) kill had JC ahead 3-1. A service ace by Cairn was followed by them committing two straight errors before an attack error by JC made it 5-3. Three more Highlander errors and a Peterson ace made it 9-3, forcing a Highlander timeout. Cairn got back within six at 12-6, but the Eagles closed the set on a 13-3 sprint to take set one 25-9 on a kill by David Hibner (Burke, Va. / Lake Braddock Secondary).
Set two was a similar script as the Eagles jumped on the Highlanders with a 10-2 sprint to start. Kills from Peterson and Hibner, a block from Peterson, another from Hibner and Leland Hacecky (Ashburn, Va. / Stone Bridge) along with a Highlander attack error made it 5-0. Cairn took the next point before a service error, a Hacecky ace and two more attack errors by the hosts had the Eagles ahead 9-1. Juniata continued to dominate, at one point leading 20-5, and wound up taking set two, 25-8.
The third set, and the ninth of the day for the Eagles, again saw them build themselves an early 13-4 advantage. The Highlanders managed to get within five, 17-12 before a Peterson kill and a attack error pushed the lead back to seven. The teams traded points, with an Eagle service error making it 20-14. Back to back Kevin Duffy (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle HS) kills were followed by a Cairn kill to make it 22-15. Duffy's eighth kill of the match along with one from Peterson put the Eagles at match point. Cairn stayed alive for one more point before Peterson's 11thkill ended the match, 25-16.
The Eagles sit at 15-4, 6-2 in the conference.
They will play at Penn St.-Altoona, Wednesday at 7:00.