SPRINGFIELD, OH- The women’s volleyball team looked to stay perfect when it played #5 Cal-Lutheran at the Wittenberg Fall Classic. The Eagles fell from the ranks of the unbeaten as the Regals won 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-17). Juniata rebounded in the second match of the day as it rallied to knock off the #9 host Tigers 3-2 (25-23, 29-31, 16-25, 25-21, 15-13).
Against the Regals, Kelly Reynolds (Upper Saint Clair, PA/Upper Saint Clair) totaled 27 assists and 12 digs. Brittani Young (Columbia, PA/Hempfield Area) also had 12 digs. Nakita Gearhart (Waynesboro, PA/Greencastle-Antrim) led in kills with eight while Mar-Jana Phillips (Carson, CA/Rolling Hills Prep) added seven kills.
In the first set, the Eagles had an early 4-3 lead. CLU scored the next three points to pull ahead 6-4. Juniata tied it up at 8-all but the Regals tacked on three more points to regain the advantage. JC trailed 20-16 and Cal-Lutheran registered the game’s final five points to take the set.
The second set was a seesaw battle as the two squads traded off points. After the teams were tied at 11-11, the Regals went on a 14-8 run to close out the set for a 2-0 lead. CLU led 18-11 in the third set before the Eagles rallied with three straight points. It was as close as Juniata would get as Cal-Lutheran outscored Juniata 7-3 down the stretch to claim the match.
Against Wittenberg, Young tallied 33 digs. Bryce Arnold (Shippensburg, PA/Shippensburg Area) contributed 16 digs and Reynolds had 18 digs and 43 assists. Phillips led in kills with 18. Amelia Kepler (Kane, PA/Kane Area) had 12 kills and six digs.
The first set was a tight battle. Juniata led by as much as 13-9 but the Tigers kept it close throughout and took their first lead of the game at 23-22. The Eagles would rally to register the last three points and lead the match 1-0.
Juniata led by as much as 20-12 in the second set and looked to go up 2-0 but Wittenberg rallied to tie three times and went up 27-26. Both teams countered with points but the last two went to the hosts as the match was tied up 1-1.
The Tigers led for most of the third set and went up 2-1. The Eagles responded with a strong fourth set to tie it up at 2-all and held off the Tigers in the final set for the win.
Following the weekend’s matches, Kepler was named to the All-Tournament team. In three matches, she totaled 22 kills, nine digs, and three assisted blocks.
The Eagles host the ASICS Invitational next weekend at Memorial Gymnasium. Juniata hosts Salisbury on Friday night at 4 p.m. and Christopher Newport at 8 p.m.
