(Posted October 12, 2005)

Juniata 3, Moravian 1

Huntingdon, Ca. ? Visiting Moravian College took a game from the Juniata College women?s volleyball team, but the Eagles were in control in the other three games as the Eagles claimed a 3-1 win in Commonwealth Conference action in Huntingdon Wednesday night. The win brought Juniata?s record to 19-1 overall and 5-0 in conference action, while the Greyhounds dropped to 18-5 on the year and 3-2 in conference action.

Juniata claimed the match to win its 14th-straight match, earning the win by game scores of 30-19, 30-14, 12-30 and 30-16.

The Eagles looked primed to run away with game one as a double block from Rachael Schatz (West Perry/Elliotsburg) and Katie Laucks (West York/York) gave the home team an early 14-4 lead. Moravian responded, as the Greyhounds put together a 6-0 run featuring two blocks from Valerie Korsak that made the score 18-14 Eagles and forced a Juniata timeout. Stephanie Kines (Towson/Towson, Md.) then sparked Juniata out of the timeout with a pair of kills and a solo block to put Juniata comfortably back in front. Four late kills from Laucks helped the Eagles to the 30-19 win.

Game two was nearly the opposite as a late Juniata push turned a tight game into a lopsided win. A Kelly Bauer kill pulled the Greyhounds to within three at 14-10, only to see Juniata counter with an 8-0 spurt that gave the home team a 21-10 advantage. Kines served throughout the run and tossed in an ace along with a kill while Laucks had two kills. Back-to-back aces from Amber Thomas (Conestoga Valley/Ephrata) helped Juniata stay in command and claim the 30-14 win.

Moravian seized control early in game three and did not relinquish it. After a Brittany Carr (Titusville/Titusville) kill made it 8-7 Moravian, the visitors ripped off eight straight points to take a 17-8 edge. Rachel Radocha had three kills during the stretch. The Eagles did not get much closer, as the Greyhounds stayed in front by claiming 16 of the final 21 points of the game. A pair of late double blocks from Lindsey Siracusa and Bauer helped Moravian seal the 30-12 win.

The Eagles regained control early in game four with three early aces, two from Abby Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) and one from Kines to give the Eagles an early 9-4 edge. The Eagles continued to pull away, getting back-to- back kills from Schatz and another ace from Leonard to take a 24-12 edge and force a Moravian timeout. Moravian made a late charge with a solo block from Jenna Wallace and then a kill from Bauer but a kill from Mariel Little (Walled Lake Central/Commerce, Mich.) closed the 30-16 win.

Laucks led Juniata with 13 kills in the match while recording a solid .440 hitting percentage. Schatz was also in double figures with 12 finishes. Jessica Ritchey (Greencastle-Antrim/Greencastle) passed out 36 assists to direct the Juniata offense. Tara McMinn (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) led the defense with 11 digs, while Laucks posted six blocks. Leonard and Kines both finished with three aces.

Siracusa paced the visitors with 13 kills. Korsak passed out 28 assists for Moravian and Bauer recorded 10 digs. Siracusa also finished with five blocks.

Juniata returns to action this weekend as the Eagles will play Friday and Saturday at the McDaniel College Invitational.

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