By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photos: Jennifer Jones/Christopher Shannon
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – in a battle of the tournament's top seeded teams, top-seeded and No. 9 Juniata College women's volleyball team claimed the 2013 Landmark Conference title, 3-1 (25-17, 25-18, 19-25, 25-10), over second seed Susquehanna University. The Eagles earned their seventh consecutive Landmark title finishing with a perfect 7-0 mark in conference play, including tournament wins over The University of Scranton in the semifinals and Susquehanna in the championship. Junior Amelia Kepler (Kane, Pa./Kane Area) was named tournament Most Valuable Player.
"I think we didn't play very sharply yesterday so getting out to the big lead in the beginning sort of set the tone," said Pavlik.
The Eagles opened the match with six straight points, forcing a Susquehanna timeout, before the Crusaders were able to get on the board. The Juniata blocked continued its strong performance on the weekend, helping to stretch the Eagles lead to 13-2. Susquehanna started to show life with a strong block of its own, forcing a Juniata timeout at 15-9 after taking four straight points.
"First game especially [our block was strong]," said head coach Heather Pavlik. "I think it was ok most of way. I thought Susquehanna did a magnificent job after game one of covering. We had a ton of block backs, but they did a really great job of picking things up."
The Eagles looked to be well in control at 18-12, but Susquehanna forced a number of long rallies to pull within four. Freshman Nakita Gearhart (Waynesboro, Pa./Greenastle-Antrim) ended the set on a Juniata kill for the 25-17 win and the 1-0 sets-lead. Both Gearhart and Kepler finished the match with 14 kills and senior Amy Miller (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) had a match-high 15 kills and added 10 digs.
"I thought Amelia had a good weekend overall and today she was very steady the entire way," said Pavlik. "Even doing some things we've been asking her to do for a little while; staying inside, hitting some two balls, second tempo kind of balls. I thought she played some good off blocker defense, she got her hands on some blocks, so she did a good job."
Susquehanna took the first point of the second set, but the Eagles rattle off the next five straight. The Crusaders maintained their composure and made a three point run to stay close to the Eagles at 6-5. With Miller serving, Juniata pulled back out to a five-point lead at 9-4. Miller's continued hard-swinging success gave the Eagles an 18-13 lead for a firm grip on the second set. Susquehanna hammered out a few points of its own to pull within three, late in the set, but Kepler worked the outside well and Juniata took set two 25-18. Junior libero Brittani Young (Columbia, Pa./Hempfield Area) totaled a match-high 26 digs.
"There were a couple of servers who got us on some good runs," said Pavlik. "Rachelle Wiegand had some good runs, Brittani had some good runs, Amelia had some runs, Amy, those four in particular got us on some streaks. They get serving to the right passers and getting Susquehanna out of system a little bit."
The third set stayed closer than the first two as, every time the Eagles looked to stretch their lead out, the Crusaders were able to stay within four points of the reigning champions. Susquehanna pulled level at 12-12 and took its first lead since the first point of the second set at 13-12 to force a Juniata timeout. The Crusaders took the first point out of the break and continued to pile on, taking set three 25-19.
"They were very scrappy in the third game," said Pavlik. "I thought we did get our hands on some balls and they did a great job of covering. They were getting second and third opportunities. I thought we were a little slack with our defense. I don't know that we did a great job of getting our hands across the net with our block and they didn't let us get on those same kind of runs with our serve. They were making us serve one point at a time and I thought Susquehanna played really well."
Susquehanna carried the hope of upset all the way to 4-4 in in the fourth set, before Juniata's power became too much and the Eagles took the 9-4 lead. Gearhart and Miller tag-teamed the set to the midway 13-6 lead. On the service of freshman Kelly Reynolds (Upper Saint Clair, Pa./Upper Saint Clair), Juniata bolstered its lead to 20-8 and junior Christine Sumner (Dublin, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) brought down three of the last four points for the 25-10 victory and Juniata's seventh Landmark title.
"Nakita has a knack for [getting momentum]," said Pavlik. "She gets on streaks. She's done that for a month. There are times when you look up and you realize she's scored the last four points, or seven points, four kills three blocks, she just gets white hot at times and she certainly did get us over the hump there in that fourth game. Chris did a great job of finishing."
With the win, the Eagles have earned an automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament. Regionals will take place Nov. 15-16 at a time and location to be announced.
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