ST. LOUIS, MO.- The Juniata women's volleyball team needed four sets to takedown the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Elite 8, 3-1 (25-16, 25-15, 21-25, 25-17), Thursday afternoon on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. The win means the Eagles advance to the Final Four, where they will take on Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Friday at 6:00 PM.
The opening set started with the Eagles finding success from the usual suspect as Victoria Taylor (Middletown, Del. / Delaware Military Academy) hammered two kills along with an Engineering error to go up 3-0. MIT took the next point before a Mackenzie Coley (Norco, Calif. / Norco HS) kill, two Engineering errors, and a well-placed dump by Olivia Foley (Coldwater, Mich / Coldwater HS) had the Eagles up 7-1. MIT hung around and got within four at 9-5, but the Eagles rattled off another 4-0 run with kills from Taylor, Lily Podolan (Columbus, Ohio / Worthington Kilbourne), and Aly Reardon (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West HS). An ace from Kennedy Christy (Saxonburg, Pa. / Knoch HS) completed the run to make the score 13-6.
Midway through the first set, JC was firing on all cylinders. Foley played a ball facing away from the net to keep the point alive, and it dropped perfectly in the middle of the MIT defense for a kill to make it. JC cruised the rest of the way, taking the set 25-16.
Took Set 1 after an MIT error! ��
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) November 18, 2021
1-0 in favor of our Eagles �� @JuniataWVB #GoEagles #WingsUp #TakingFlight #NCAAEliteEight pic.twitter.com/C138RRoB7a
The second set was tight early, with the teams going back and forth to 11-11.
The Engineers committed two errors, and Grace Erskine (Mooresville, N.C. / Community School of Davidson) put down a kill and a big solo block to put JC up four. The lead stayed there for a bit, and with the score of 17-13, Juniata made their move. Two more MIT errors and kills from Erskine and Coley had Juniata in control 21-13, and they took the second set 25-15.
Eagles are soarin'!!!
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) November 18, 2021
Up 2-0 over MIT ��#GoEagles #WingsUp #TakingFlight #NCAAEliteEight@JuniataWVB pic.twitter.com/8Se7LUTUND
The Engineers took the third set behind the strength of their middle Annie Bryan, who started bashing balls everywhere as she led MIT to a 21-25 third set win.
Taylor's 10th kill of the game was a big one �� @JuniataWVB
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) November 18, 2021
You're going to want to press play on this one
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/A8ECdQwLoz
The fourth set started poorly for the Eagles and they looked a little nervy as MIT engineered themselves a 7-3 lead and forced a Juniata timeout. Out of the timeout, JC rebounded, promptly going on a 9-0 run. Reardon tallied a kill, and Kiona Sky Rousset-Hernandez (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico / Colegio Bautista de Carolina HS) stepped to the service line and started causing problems for MIT, including two aces during the run.
Roussett-Hernandez with a knuckleball ace (& she's still going) ��@JuniataWVB #GoEagles #WingsUp #TakingFlight #NCAAVolleyball #NCAAEliteEight pic.twitter.com/e5YlDKoq7E
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) November 18, 2021
Reardon had three kills, Podolan added two, while Coley had a huge solo block as Juniata went up 12-7. This felt like the turning point in the set as MIT couldn't narrow the gap the rest of the way. The Engineers managed to get within three before kills from Erskine, and Podolan made it 20-15. MIT called timeout, but Juniata got the five points they needed, winning on an attack error, 25-17.
FINAL FOUR BOUND ����
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) November 18, 2021
LETS GOOOO @JuniataWVB #GoEagles #WingsUp #TakingFlight #NCAAVolleyball #FinalFourBound pic.twitter.com/JlUPge8AgA
Taylor tallied 16 kills while hitting .308 to go with a solo block and a block assist. Coley totaled 10 kills while hitting .400 with two solo blocks and two block assists. Foley had a double-double with 42 assists, 15 digs, and four kills, while Rousset-Hernandez amassed 19 digs, three assists, and two aces.
Juniata will be making their 26th trip to the Final Four, with their last trip being back in 2018.
Juniata will take on fourth-seeded Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a trip to the National Championship on the line. The teams have only met twice all-time, with the Eagles winning both matchups. Juniata won 3-1 in 2010 and won via sweep in 2019 in an early-season matchup. The match will begin at 6:00 EST.
We're going to the Final Four!!!!����️#WingsUp #TakingFlight #GoEagles #D3VB #JCWVB pic.twitter.com/JYc9z1e4er
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) November 19, 2021
