Eagles Ground Soaring Eagles

HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The #11 Juniata men's volleyball team took two from visiting Elmira, 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-11) and 3-0 (25-18, 28-26, 25-16), Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Gymnasium. 

The first set saw the Eagles took the first two points behind kills from Tanner Kuruzovich (Matilda, Pa. / State College Area H.S.) and Drew Hunker (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Allegheny); Elmira got on the board via an Eagle service error and latter got within one again on an Eagle service error to make it 5-4. A kill from Luke Hoffman (Reading, Pa. / Exeter Township HS), another from Kuruzovich followed by a Hoffman solo block gave Juniata some breathing room. Juniata didn't let up, leading by as many as seven, and wound up taking set one on a kill from Hoffman, 25-16. The Eagle hit a blistering .526 in the set.  

Elmira opened the second set in the driver's seat, with a block putting them up 4-8. A service error, a kill by Will Phelan (Saegertown, Pa. / Saegertown H.S.) followed by a block by Phelan and Hoffman brought JC within one. The Soaring Eagles took the next point before another Hoffman kill, an ace from Grant Crytzer (Freeport, Pa. / Freeport), a block from Joseph Chambers (West Hempstead, N.Y. / West Hempstead H.S.), a kill from Max Cooley (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park H.S.) and an Elmira attack error made it 12-9 Juniata as the visitor's called timeout. Elmira never got closer than three the rest of the set, and with the score at 16-13, Juniata closed on a 9-2 run to take set two 25-15.  

Juniata completely dominated the third frame, taking 20 of the first 25 points to lead 20-5 on their way to a comfortable 25-11 win to close the first match. 

First match highlights-

The first set of the second match saw the Soaring Eagles go up 7-9, a kill from Chambers, a block by Tyler Goldsborough (Reading, Pa. / Exeter Township HS) and Theodore Weinberger (Santa Clara, Calif. / Adrian C. Wilcox HS), an Elmira attack error, another Goldsborough and Weinberger block and a Hunker kill made it 12-9 JC. The teams went back and forth, with a bad set by Juniata, making it 17-15. Two errors by the Soaring Eagles and a Hunker ace push the lead to five, 20-15. Elmire called timeout and scored on a kill before another Hunker kill, a block by Chambers and Reese Ganter (Reading, Pa. / Exeter Twp. HS) followed by a Goldsborough kill made it 23-16. Elmira took the next two points before Goldsborough struck again to push JC to set point, and a Soaring Eagle attack error set one ended 25-18.  

Elmira had their best chance to take a set off the Eagles in the second set as they led 3-8 early and later 14-20 as the Eagles found themselves in a late hole. Juniata slowly clawed their way back, getting within four at 19-23. Kills from Will Hafen (Las Vegas, Nev. / Bishop Gorman), Chambers and Goldsborough made it 22-23. The Soaring Eagles took the next point before a service error, and a block by Paul Leech (Meadville, Pa. / Meadville Area Senior High) and Weinberger tied things at 24-24. Elmira reached set point first but committed to straight attack errors to hand the Eagles set point. A JC attack error knotted things at 26-26, but Hunker struck for two straight kills to end the thrilling second set, 28-26.  

The third set saw the Eagles jump out to a 9-3 lead and never let up as they led by as many as 11 on Weinberger's kill, which also gave them match point at 24-13. An Elmira attack error ended the match. 

Second match highlights-

Juniata will host #5 Rutgers-Newark tomorrow, with the first match beginning at 2:00.