By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich Photography
SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 8 Juniata College women's volleyball team improved to 19-1 this evening, defeating Bridgewater College (Va.), 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, 25-13) in its opening game of the Sea Gull Classic hosted by Salisbury University.
"The game posed some challenges," said head coach Heather Pavlik. "We got a slow start and they came out very very hot. They are coached by one of our alums and I thought she did a fabulous job. She was very prepared and her team was very prepared. We wanted to get the ball to the middles and probably didn't do enough of that in the first game and a half of so. We certainly did better with that in game three and in game two a bit. Once we started to get the middles some good swings good things started to happen for us."
Juniata jumped out to an early 14-9 lead in the first set thanks to some quick hitting by senior Courtney Lydick (McKean, Pa./General McLane). Bridgewater hung around coming within three points, but Juniata's attack was too strong and they claimed the first set, 25-19, off a serving run by senior Rachelle Wiegand (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central).
The second set saw more back-and-forth as Bridgewater took the lead several times, but Juniata came back to even the set on three different occasions before taking the lead. After Juniata took its first lead of the set, 12-11, Bridgewater fought back and tied the set four separate times, locking the two teams the final time at 20 all. But Juniata shut the door on a second set comeback with a kill from Wiegand for the 25-23 win and the two set lead.
The third set started with freshman Kelly Reynolds (Upper Saint Clair, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) stepping to the line for Juniata. Reynolds served seven straight points before, on the seventh, Bridgewater notched its first score. Juniata didn't stop there, but took a 15-7 lead courtesy of a number of commanding kills by freshman Nakita Gearhart (Waynesboro, Pa./Greencaslte-Antrim). Gearhart finished off the set and the match with two service aces for the win and tied for a match-high 11 kills and a staggering .667 attack percentage. Lydick finished the day with seven kills and hit at a .438 clip. Reynolds finished with a match-high 31 assists.
"Nakita was pretty good," said Pavlik. "She's had some typical freshman stuff over the last couple of weeks with her playing and she coming out of that now. She played well all week in practice so this doesn't surprise me. Our freshman have stepped it up. They're figuring some things out and learning. Kelly is learning on the job here every single day. She's doing a good job and figuring some things out. It's fun to watch when the light bulbs go on for people."
Juniata continues action at the Sea Gull Classic tomorrow when they face the University of Mary Washington at 10 a.m. followed by host Salisbury at 2 p.m.
"We need to wake up tomorrow and understand that you need to take everything point by point," said Pavlik. "We have to be prepared for each game."
Juniata next returns home Friday October 25 to host the annual Wid Guisler Invitational in Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center.
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