HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's volleyball team opened Continental Volleyball Conference play with a sweep of visiting Marymount, 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 30-28), Friday evening inside Memorial Gymnasium.
The Saints captured the first four points of the match on their way to an early 8-12 lead. The Eagles continued to trail at 12-15, but kill a from Sean Cavanagh (Cranberry Twp., Pa. / Seneca Valley) followed by a Marymount attack error and a block from Robert Bowling (Columbus, Ohio / Hilliard Darby) and Kevin Duffy (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle HS) tied things at 15-15. The teams traded points, with Juniata taking their first lead on a block by Cavanagh and David Hibner (Burke, Va. / Lake Braddock Secondary) at 19-18. Following a Saints timeout, the teams continued to trade kills, with Marymount pulling even at 21-21. The Eagles closed the door from there as kills from Joe Fick (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Township), and Duffy made it 23-21 as the Saints called their second timeout. It didn't stop Juniata as two straight blocks the first by Bowling and Duffy, and the second by Fick and Duffy ended set one, 25-21.
Juniata takes set 1 against Marymount! #wingsup #d3vb #GOCVC pic.twitter.com/70C1UrGbv2
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) February 8, 2020
The second set saw the Eagles have their best hitting set of the match as they hit .520 to pull away from the Saints midway through to cruise to a 25-19 win. Bowling ended the second set with a big cross-court kill.
Kill by Robert Bowling for set point! Eagles extend their lead over the Saints, 2-0! #goeagles #d3vb #GOCVC pic.twitter.com/tAnOqVwMSx
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) February 8, 2020
In the third set, neither team led by more than three points as the Saints tried to stay alive. The Eagles caught up midway, but Marymount retook the lead with a kill at 19-21. A kill from Bowling along with a Marymount attack error and two Duffy kills put the Eagles up 23-21. The Saints tallied three straight to reach set point, 24-23, and JC called timeout. The Saints reached three more set points, but Juniata fought them off each time, with a kill from Bowling making it 27-27 before a block from Fick and Duffy gave Juniata match point. The Saints responded with a kill, but two straight kills from Duffy ended the match for the Eagles.
Juniata with the sweep over Marymount (Va.) for their first conference win of the season! #GOCVC #wingsup #d3vb pic.twitter.com/IjXqy2PJqX
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) February 8, 2020
Juniata will take on Randolph Macon, tomorrow at one.
