By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: TJ Chance-Chin
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The No. 3 Juniata College men's volleyball team finished out its weekend flawless, sweeping both Marymount University and Hilbert College in straight sets Saturday afternoon in the Kennedy Sports+Recreation Center. Juniata improved to 13-2 overall and 2-0 in the Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC).
"We were able to get contributions this weekend from everyone," said head coach Kevin Moore. "Just really impressed with the way we finished up this three match weekend. We were in rhythm. All of our guys were contributing.
The Eagles hit over .430 as a team on the day with 78 kills. They also finished with 15 services aces and 17 blocks. A big performance behind the service line came from senior Ross Madden (Richmond, Va./Deep Run). The 6-5 outside hitter earned a match and career-best seven service aces against Hilbert.
"We put a lot of pressure on them," added Moore. "That was the big difference this weekend. Our serve, serve receive game was really good. We really need to continue to build on that heading into next weekend."
Five Eagles hit over .500 individually, their efforts helped by sophomores Carlos Faccio (Guaynabo, P.R./San Ignacio) and Ryan Shelton (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Baldwinsville) who ran the offense. Both netted career-highs, Shelton with 34 assists against Marymount and Faccio's 28 assists in the win over Hilbert.
Leading the attack was fellow sophomore Matthew Kinnebrew (Ashburn, Va./Stonebridge). He finished the day with 17 kills under his belt. Freshmen Tommy Keisling (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) and Kyle Seeley (Ellicott City, Md./Howard) also earned double-digit kills on the day. Keisling put down 10 kills and Seeley hit an amazing .733 with 12 kills and only one error, respectively. Seeley also grabbed a team-best nine blocks across the two matches.
Break time is over for the Eagles who now hit the road against very tough competition over the course of the next week. Juniata heads to Thiel College on Wednesday, Feb. 26 for another CVC match before traveling to No. 12 Steven's Tech on Friday, Feb. 28. They then make their way to Vassar and take on No. 1 SUNY New Paltz and the host Brewers on Saturday, March 1.
"Thiel's a program that's gotten better each of the past three years," said Moore. "And going to play three quality UVC teams in Vassar, New Paltz and Steven's Tech, that's really going to be a tough weekend for us. Hopefully we can draw from our experiences up at the CVC Crossover and at Nazareth to physically be able to push through. Not only physically but mentally through the tough competition."
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