Eagles Dodge Sting of Yellow Jackets, Topple Terriers to Extend Winning Streak to Six

HIRAM, Ohio- The #9 Juniata men's volleyball team got a pair of victories as they defeated Baldwin Wallace University 3-0 (25-14, 26-24, 25-23) and Hiram College 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-17)

In their first match of the day, the Eagles squared off against Baldwin Wallace in a rematch of last year's NCAA Sweet 16 matchup. 

Set one, with the score at 5-5, Juan Armando tallied a kill while Campbell Gerdeman added a kill along with an ace to go with several Yellow Jacket errors, making it 10-5. The Eagles maintained that lead as BW pulled back within five at 19-14. The Eagles took the final six points of the set as Reese Ganter took set one with a kill, 25-14. JC was unstoppable in hitting the ball, and they hit .609 in the set.  

The Eagles found themselves in a late hole, 19-22, in the second set. Kills from Campbell and Luke Hoffman, an error by Baldwin Wallace, a solo block by Hoffman, and another Campbell kill gave Juniata set point, 24-22. BW took the next two points to keep the set going before a Yellow Jacket setting error and a block by Tyler Goldsborough and Hoffman ended the set 26-24. 

The third set was tight throughout, as neither team led by more than two at any point. At 19-19, a Gerdeman kill and a Goldsborough ace gave the Eagles the lead for good. The teams traded points for the rest of the match, with a service error giving Juniata a match point and a Hoffman kill, ending the match at 25-23. 

Hoffman totaled ten kills (.769) with two aces, a dig, three solo blocks, and a block assist. Chris Mellor had seven kills (.700) with two solo blocks, while Gerdeman had ten kills (.400), an ace, and two digs. Ganter had 32 assists, two kills, and five digs. 

In the second match of the day against Hiram, the Eagles hit a stout .517 and used a 13-2 run midway through the opening set as they dominated 25-14. 

In set two, with the score at 17-14, kills from Mellor, Goldsborough, and Tyler Phillips pushed the lead to seven, as the Eagles eventually took the set on a service error, 25-19. 

In the third set, the Eagles led by as many as seven points in the later stages of the match as a Chase Robbins kill made it 19-12. With the score 22-17, Hoffman put down a kill, and two Terrier attack errors ended the match, 25-17. 

Goldsborough was unstoppable in the second match as he amassed 13 kills (.750) with four aces and five digs. Will Sierer tallied 16 assists and two digs, while Grant Lorelli had 16 assists, two kills, and three digs. 

Hoffman was named MVP, while Ganter, Goldsborough, and Gerdeman joined him on the all-tournament team. 

Juniata returns to action next Saturday, taking on Arcadia at 1:00 and St. Elizabeth at 3:00.