HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The #4 Juniata women's volleyball team opened up at Memorial Gymnasium with a victory as they defeated visiting Ithaca, 3-1 (25-14, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19) on day one of the ASICS invitational, Friday evening. 

The opening set saw the Eagles hit a match-high .387 while Ithaca hit -.143, with Juniata dominating the set. Tied early at 3-3, a 15-6 surge from JC saw them blow the set wide open and never look back. With the score 22-14, a Bomber attack was followed by kills from Audrey Muth and Lily Podolan to end set one 25-14. 

Juniata did not relent in the second set, sprinting out to a 19-5 lead that was punctuated by an Aly Reardon kill. The Bombers put together a run to make it 21-11 before the Eagles took the final four points, winning set two on an attack error. 

Set three was the only set that the Bombers hit positively in the match at .150, and they managed to edge out JC 23-25 to force a fourth set.  

Ithaca hung around in the beginning part of set four, pulling within one at 10-9. Two Ithaca errors and a pair of kills from Podolan made it 14-9. The Bombers got back within two at 14-12, but they would get no closer. With the score 16-13, two errors by the Bombers, a solo block by Mackenzie Coley, and a kill from Reardon had Juniata up by six. Another Coley kill would eventually give JC match point at 24-17; Ithaca would fight off two match points before Lexy Bloss ended the match with her fourth kill of the night. 

WINNING SET LETS GOOOOOO #WingsUp pic.twitter.com/mt7N4sBZWn

— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) September 10, 2022

Kiona Sky Rousset-Hernandez had a career-high 40 digs in the match. 

The Eagles will take on Virginia Wesleyan tomorrow at 11:00 am and Franklin & Marshall at 6:30.