Eagles Soar Past Gophers

HUNTINGDON, Pa.-The Juniata women's volleyball team remained unbeaten in conference play with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 28-26) sweep of visiting Goucher, Wednesday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.  

The teams were tight early as the teams traded service errors to make it 5-4 early. A kill from Marybeth Weihbrecht (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), two aces from Sophia Gingrich (Minneapolis, Minn. / Minneapolis Southwest H.S.) and a kill from Marie Gonsar (New Castle, Pa. / Shenango H.S.) made it 9-4. Later, kills from Morgan Edwards (Lancaster, Pa. / Penn Manor) and Victoria Taylor (Middletown, Del. / Delaware Military Academy) along with a Gopher error made it 16-7 JC. Goucher took the next two points before two kills from Edwards, a kill from Gonsar, another from Lauren Levi (Oregon City, Ore. / Oregon City HS) and a Goucher error made it 21-9. The Gophers got within seven, 21-14, but a kill from Alyssa Tavera (Whittier, Calif. / La Salle H.S.), an ace from Abigail Luensmann (Altoona, Pa. / Bellwood-Antis H.S.), a Weihbrecht kill made gave JC set point. Another Gopher error ended set one, 25-14. 

Juniata opened the second set by taking the first five points via two kills from Luensmann, two Gopher attack errors, and an ace from Makenna Hallager (Glenolden, Pa. / Merion Mercy Academy). Later, kills from Moira Folan (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Oakland Catholic HS) and Carrie McGlohon (LaVerne, Calif. / Bonita H.S.) made it 16-7. Following a Gopher kill and a JC attack error, kills from Katie Thomas (Batesville, Ind. / Batesville), Grace Erskine (Mooresville, N.C. / Community School of Davidson) and Levi made it 23-10. After a three Goucher points, Samantha Freese (Lewisberry, Pa. / Red Land H.S.) gave JC set point and a few points later a block from Folan gave JC set two, 25-16.

The third was the tightest one as Goucher looked to take their first ever set off the Eagles. The set featured seven ties as the Gophers led by as many as three at one point, 21-18. Following a JC timeout, a kill from Taylor the teams exchanged attack errors to make it 22-20. Another Taylor kill paired with a kill from Erskine tied things at 22-22. Juniata got to match point three different times before a Gopher attack error ended the match, 28-26.

The 12-3 Eagles head to Lancaster to face Franklin and Marshall, Friday at 7:00.