(Posted September 6, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College women's volleyball improved to 4-0 on the season with victories over Bridgewater College and Marymount University, in a tri-match on Saturday afternoon at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center in Huntingdon, Pa.

The tri-match between the three schools was set-up on Friday after Juniata and Bridgewater were left without matches for the weekend following Christopher Newport University's cancellation of the CNU Tournament. CNU canceled all home athletic events for this weekend due to the approach of hurricane Hanna as it moved up the east coast.

Juniata downed Bridgewater 3-0 (25-5, 25-20, 25-21) in Saturday's opening game, and closed the day with a 3-0 victory over Marymount (25-10, 25-15, 25-14). Bridgewater knocked off Marymount 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-17) in the tri-match's neutral site contest.

Amber Thomas (Ephrata, Pa./Conestoga Valley) paced the Eagle attack against Bridgewater with 10 kills on 20 swings, while Steph Strauss (Penn Hills, Pa./Penn Hills), Collin Wallace (West Chester, Pa./West Chester East), and Cassie Dickmann (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) had six kills apiece versus Bridgewater. Megan Sollenberger (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) turned up 24 digs in the game, while Wallace tallied 11. Strauss set the offense with 20 assists, while Beth Kozak (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) added another 13 assists.

Juniata gave some its regular starters a rest against Marymount, and took advantage of the opportunity to give some younger players on the roster added playing time.

Wallace and freshman teammate Drew Barnhart (Titusville, Pa./Titusville) led the offense with six kills, with Lauren Cline (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) recording five kills to go with her four total blocks. Kristin Noetzel (Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Regional) and Sam Bristol (Lone Tree, Colo./Highlands Ranch) logged four kills each. Kozak recorded a team-high seven digs, with Michelle Morchesky (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) and Megan Sollenberger digging up five balls.

Juniata will travel to St. Louis, Mo., next weekend to compete in Washington University's Teri Clemens Invitational. The Eagles will face the second-ranked and defending national champion Bears on Friday night, with games against Wisconsin-Whitewater and Bethel University (Minn.) on Saturday.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.