By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
JD Cavrich Photography
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – On senior night in Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center, the No. 11 Juniata College women's volleyball team topped Johns Hopkins University in a clean sweep, 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 26-24). The Eagles improve to 24-3 and won their first match of the 2013 Wid Guisler Invitational.
"It was a match that had a different kind of flow to it and that's always a challenge," said head coach Heather Pavlik. "I thought Johns Hopkins did a great job. They settled themselves down in the third game. They served us tough. They did a good job of attacking our block and our players hung in there. The third game was definitely different than the first two and they did a good job of hanging in, taking it one point at a time, not getting ahead of themselves and finishing the job."
The Eagles opened the match with their traditional strong service game, jumping out to an 11-4 lead. At 14-5 Juniata, Johns Hopkins called a time out and came out of the break strong, earning back-to-back points before junior Amelia Kepler (Kane, Pa./Kane Area) slammed down a kill and freshman Kelly Reynolds (Upper Saint Clair, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) went on a service run. Juniata took a 22-9 lead off a kill from senior Amy Miller (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) and only surrendered one more point, taking the first set 25-10. Miller and Reynolds finished the night with match-high four aces apiece.
"Amy has been serving well all year long," said Pavlik. "She's been our most consistent server. I know I can count on her to go back there and put the ball on the right passer, the person we want her to serve, as well as serve a tough ball."
The Eagles didn't lose a step in set two taking the first point on a service ace by Reynolds and jumping out to a commanding 14-4 lead courtesy of a seven point serving run by Miller. At 18-10 Juniata, senior Rachelle Wiegand (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) took over serving duties and the Eagles tacked on five more points for a 23-11 lead. Freshman Nakita Gearhart (Waynesboro, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) slammed down one of her five kills of the night for the set two win, 25-13. Gearhart finished with a .714 attack percentage.
"Nakita played very very well," said Pavlik. "Not only hitting the ball, but she blocked well. She always plays a very good all around game. She brings more to the table than just hitting and blocking and she did that tonight."
Red shirt freshman Taylor Miles (Mapleton Depot, Pa./Mount Union) had a strong performance in the match also with five kills and a .364 attack percentage.
"Taylor is getting better every single day. She is improving by leaps and bounds both in the practice gym and during games. She's very workman like. Taylor doesn't get too high or too low, she just keeps chugging, and that's a great thing to have."
The Blue Jays took the first two points of the third set and continued the momentum to a 9-5 lead. Senior Courtney Lydick (McKean, Pa./General McLane) slammed down a dominant kill to pull the Eagles within two at 10-8 Johns Hopkins. Juniata started a run that made the Blue Jays bench nervous enough to call a time out at 19-15 Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays looked like they might be able to steal a set off the Eagles, but Juniata made things interesting, tying the set at 24-24. On the serve of Wiegand, the Eagles took the next two points for the 26-24 win and three set sweep. Reynolds and senior setter Sarah McCarthy (Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook) combined for 30 of Juniata's 34 assists.
The Eagles continue play in the 2013 Wid Guisler invitational tomorrow at 11 a.m. when they take on DeSales University followed by a bout with Carnegie Mellon University at 5 p.m.
"Consistency is important, the ability to play at a consistent level through the whole match. Tomorrow, both of the teams that we are going to see have some big hitters; big, physical, heavy hitters and I want to see us play good defense against that, both in blocking and in the back court. That is the goal for tomorrow."
The volleyball team honored the careers of the teams' four seniors with a ceremony before the match.
"I appreciate everything the seniors have done," said Pavlik. "Courtney and Amy and Rachelle, I've been with them for four years, and Sarah has been here since last year and they've been fantastic. They've done a good job of leading this group. They've done a good job of setting an example for the younger players of how you do things here and what Juniata volleyball means. I greatly appreciate that. They are going to leave a legacy for many years to come that the youngsters can follow. That might be the biggest gift they could ever give us."
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