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 came back to defeat the University of Mary Washington, 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-8, 25-13), before dropping a tough match to Salisbury University, 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 21-25, 15-13), on the final day of the Sea Gull Classic. Freshmen Kelly Reynolds (Upper Saint Clair, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) and Nakita Gearhart (Waynesboro, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) earned All-Tournament honors for their performances over the weekend.

In the first match of the day, Mary Washington took a 1-0 lead before the Juniata came storming back. Senior Courtney Lydick (McKean, Pa./General McLane) hammered out a match-high 17 kills off a .577 attack percentage. Sophomore Bryce Arnold (Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg Area) was lethal again, hitting for a .706 average and nailing down 12 kills.

Juniata showed true dominance in the third set, winning by a commanding score of 25-8. Overall in the match, Juniata hit for an outstanding .419 team average and Reynolds finished with 42 of the team's total 46 assist. Juniata continued its strong service game with 12 aces in the match and got a complete team effort on defense with five different players registering double-digit digs.

In the final match of the tournament, the Eagles grinded through an even first set taking the final three points for the 1-0 lead. The Sea Gulls came back with an early 10-5 lead and closed out the second set to tie the match at 1-1. Freshman Brittanie Tannenbaum (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Highlands Ranch) fired off five of Juniata's 16 service aces. Gearhart led the Eagles with a career-high performance in kills (15), total attempts (30) and attack percentage (.467). Lydick, and junior Amelia Kepler (Kane, Pa./Kane Area) also finished the match with double-digit kills.

Salisbury took the 2-1 lead, but the Eagles fought back to force a decisive fifth set. The shortened final set was tied six different times before the Sea Gulls earned the final three points for the upset win.

Juniata next faces Clarion University in a midweek matchup on Tuesday before the second weekend of Landmark Conference play. The Eagles will return home to Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center Oct. 25-26 to host the annual Wid Guisler Invitational tournament.

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