HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The #1 Juniata women's volleyball team won their 42nd overall conference championship and 16th straight Landmark Conference Championship as they defeated the University of Scranton, 3-1 (25-12, 25-13, 18-25, 25-15), Saturday evening in a pack Memorial Gymnasium.
The win is the Eagle's 29th of the year and earns them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It is also the 56th straight victory for the team, spanning back to last season.
The first set saw Juniata take control early as they went on an 8-1 run to go up 10-4. The Eagles continued to lead comfortably, and at 17-9, two kills apiece from Audrey Muth and Courtney Williams, along with two errors by the Royals, put JC up 23-9. Another Royal error would eventually end the first set, 25-12.
Set two saw Scranton hang around long, pulling within one at 9-8 on a service error. A kill from Lily Podolan, two Scranton attack errors, a block by Podolan and Mackenzie Coley, and an ace from Kiona Sky Rousset-Hernandez put Juniata ahead by six. Scranton cut the deficit back to four before a Kennedy Christy cross-court kill that she followed with an ace, a Coley kill, and another Christy ace made it 19-11. Scranton took the next point via kill, but Muth smashed another ball into the floor, Olivia Foley found a hole in the middle of the Royal defense with a dump, Sophia Repholz served up an ace, and another Scranton error made it 23-12. Juniata won the set on another Muth kill, 25-13.
The Eagles hit .500 in set one and .417 in set two as they appeared to be in control, but the Royals broke out in set three as they hit .278 and held the Eagles to .186. Juniata held a 16-13 lead, but it was all Royals from there as they closed the set on a 12-2 run to force a fourth set.
The Eagles returned the favor in the fourth, with the score at 11-8; they went on a 10-0 run that was highlighted by a dominant showing from Mia Schubert from the service line, who had six aces during the run. A Royal attack error would give the Eagles their 42nd consecutive conference championship, 25-15.
Foley was named MVP of the Landmark Championship after she tallied 36 assists, nine digs, and an ace while leading the offense to a .301 hitting percentage.
Juniata has appeared in every NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament since its inception in 1981.
The Eagles find out who they will be competing against next Monday during the NCAA selection show, which should begin at 1:00.
