HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The #12 Juniata men's volleyball team picked up a big 3-1 (19-25, 28-26, 30-28, 25-23) victory over visiting #9/#11 Carthage Thursday evening on Pirate Night inside Memorial Gymnasium on day one of the inaugural FrogJump Invitational.
Juan Armando led the way with a match-high 18 kills (.324), to go with an ace, 10 digs, and a block assist. Tyler Goldsborough totaled 13 kills, an ace, two digs, and a block assist, while Tyler Phillips tallied 12 kills, an assist, and ten digs. Luke Hoffman had nine kills (.412), an ace, three digs, a solo block, and a block assist, while Logan Constable added two kills, a dig, two solo blocks, and two block assists. Reese Ganter had 48 assists, two aces, two kills, five digs, and a block assist.
Set one was close early, but the Firebirds started to get hot, and the Eagles found themselves trailing 11-16 midway through. JC took six of the next seven, with a block by Hoffman knotting things at 17-17. From there, the Firebirds became a fire alarm fire, closing the set on a 10-2 run as the Eagles lost set one, 19-25.
Juniata found themselves in trouble midway through the second set as they were in a five-point hole, 13-18. Seven straight Eagle points, capped by a pair of kills from Goldsborough and Phillips, made it 20-18. A Hoffman kill later pushed Juniata to set point, 24-21, but the Firebirds wouldn't let their flame be extinguished quite yet, taking four straight to lead 24-25. The teams traded kills, and the Eagles used a Goldsborough kill, a Constable solo block, and a Hoffman ace that just landed in to take set two 28-26.
An exchange of 4-0 runs midway through was the only major difference in the score, as the teams traded points for most of the set. Carthage reached setpoint first, 24-23, but back-to-back kills from the Tylers gave the advance to the Eagles. Both teams fought off a few set points, with Juniata staying alive off a Carthage attack error to make it 28-28. Another attack error and Hoffman thumped a ball to the floor to end set three 30-28.
Set four saw the Eagles nursing a four-point lead at various points, with Carthage pulling even at 22-22. A back-and-forth made it 23-23 before Goldsborough handed the Eagles match point, and a Firebird attack error ended the match.
Juniata returns to action tomorrow against the Purple Raiders of Mount Union.