(Posted September 30, 2002)

FOOTBALL (4-0, 3-0 MAC); Oct. 5 vs. King's*
*MAC game.

The Juniata football team rode a big-play defense to its fourth-consecutive victory, the first time since 1986 that the Eagles have started the season 4-0. The Juniata defense forced six turnovers, three fumbles and three interceptions. The final interception by senior linebacker Jason Stouffer (Newport/Newport) was returned for a touchdown to put the finishing touches on the 34-26 victory. Stouffer also blocked what would have been the game-tying extra point after Wilkes had scored to make the game 27-26.
The Eagles rallied back after falling behind 10-0 in the second quarter. Craig Moshier (Coudersport/Coudersport) put the Eagles on the scoreboard with a 37-yard touchdown run. The Eagle defense then forced three turnovers on the first three possessions of the second half, two of which led to Juniata touchdowns. Peter Thomas (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg) intercepted a pass on Wilkes? first possession. The Eagles could not capitalize on that turnover, but following a forced fumble by Stouffer recovered by Aaron Snair (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg), Moshier scored from three yards out. Then after a Paul Evans interception, quarterback Greg Troutman (Meyersdale/Meyersdale) hit Andrew Raup (Danville/Danville) for 29-yard TD pass to give the Eagles a 20-10 lead. Wilkes battled back, tying the game at 20 half way through the fourth quarter. Another turnover, this one a fumble recovered by Bryon Latterner (Penn Cambria/Gallitzin) gave the Eagles the ball on the Wilkes 24-yard line. A 23-yard pass from Troutman to Raup on the first play after the turnover put Juniata at the one-yard line. Then Troutman hit senior Nate Leach (Shade/Central City) in the corner of the end zone to put them back on top. Wilkes then struck back quickly on a 57-yard touchdown pass bringing them within one point, 27-26. Then came the heroics by Stouffer to seal the victory for the Eagles.
Troutman finished the game 31-54 for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Raup led the receivers with 97 yards through the air and a touchdown, Leach added 34 yards and one score. Moshier finished with 84-yards rushing, and added 40 yards receiving to go with his two scores. Moshier has a team-leading seven touchdowns on the season. Defensively, Matt Wharton (Cambria Heights/Dysart) led the team with 12 tackles including three for a loss and one sack. Thomas had 11 stops, and his first career interception. Stephen Parsons (Beaver Falls/Beaver Falls) added 10 tackles, Fred Taber (Calvert Hall College/Bel Air, Md.) and Latterner each had six tackles and a sack. Stouffer finished with seven tackles, one sack, a forced fumble, a blocked extra point and an interception return for a touchdown. Dusty Lehr (Bermudian Springs/new Oxford) averaged 40.9 yards on his eight punts.

MEN'S SOCCER (4-3-1, 1-1 Commonwealth): Oct. 2 vs. Susquehanna*; Oct. 5 vs. Widener*.
*Commonwealth Conference match.
The Eagles won their only match of the week with a 2-1 victory over Pitt-Bradford. Nick Wolfe (McConnellsburg/McConnellsburg) scored the game-winning goal for the third straight match. Also scoring for Juniata was Joel Abe (Archbishop Hoban/Akron, Ohio) while the Eagles received assists from Robert Bowser (Dallastown/York) and Jeff Gehring (Exeter Township/Reading). Senior goalie Chris Zimmerman (Westmont Hilltop/Johnstown) had six saves in the victory. After starting the season 0-2-1, Juniata has won four of their last five games, including their current three-game winning streak.

WOMEN'S SOCCER (5-4-1, 0-2 Commonwealth): Oct. 2 at Susquehanna*; Oct. 5 vs. Albright*.
* Commonwealth Conference Match.
The Eagles got back on the winning track as they won two games by identical 2-0 scores. Against Lycoming goals from Nikki McLellan (Parkland/Hanover) and Erin Harter (Penn Trafford/Trafford) paced the Eagles to the victory on a rain-soaked field. Nancy Hayes (Westminster/Westminster, Md.) assisted on McLellan's goal, and Emily Endres (Warren/Warren) picked up her first point of the season with an assist on Harter's goal. A Lauren Smith (Emmaus/Zionsville) goal, assisted by Sarah Lester (Thomas Jefferson/Jefferson Hills) provided all the offense the Eagles would need against Pitt-Bradford. The other goal came on an own goal. Lindsey Treon (Hollidaysburg/Duncansville) and Kira Troutman (Line Mountain/Valley View) combined on the shutout of Lycoming and Troutman, Treon and Amanda Rice (James Buchanan/Greencastle) combined to shut-out Pitt-Bradford.

WOMEN'S TENNIS (5-4, 3-2 Commonwealth): Oct. 5 at Susquehanna*
* Commonwealth Conference Match.
The Eagles moved to 5-4 overall, and 3-2 in the conference with two wins this past week. First the Eagles topped Penn State-Altoona for the second time this season, then defeated conference foe Elizabethtown by a 6-3 score. Ann Shetter (Chambersburg/Chambersburg) and Megan Hudson (Central Cambria/Ebensburg) were each 4-0 on the week, winning a pair of singles and doubles matches, respectively. The Eagles swept the doubles matches in both their games this week. Jenny Thompson (Pittsford Mendon/Pittsford, N.Y.) won her second singles match of the season, and freshman Lindsey Dipaola (Cumberland Valley/Mechanicsburg), who leads the team in singles victories, added one more singles victory to her total.

CROSS COUNTRY: Oct. 5 at Dickinson Invitational.
The men's and women's cross-country teams were in action in Roanoke Virginia, at the Roanoke Invitational this weekend. Both teams enjoyed their best finishes of the season. The women finished third in a field of 10 teams, while the men placed fifth out of 10 squads. Stefanie Rynkewitz (Lewistown/Lewistown) led the Eagles for the first time this season, placing sixth. Rynkewitz finished one second ahead of teammate Michelle Palmer (Littlestown/Littlestown) who placed seventh. The men's team had two runners finish among the top ten. Chris Sheaffer (Central York/York) came across the line in ninth place, and right behind him in 10th place was teammate Will Cantara (West Branch/Allport). All four runners covered the course in the fastest times they had run this season.

WOMEN'S FIELD HOCKEY (5-4, 0-1 Commonwealth): Oct. 5 at Widener*.
The Eagles finished the week with a 1-1 record after topping Houghton on Saturday. The Eagles had lost four straight games until the 4-1 victory. Grace McCluskey (West Perry/Elliotsburg) moved into the team lead in goals, as she netted two in the second half to give her seven on the year. Jean Silvey (Red Lion/Airville) and Billie Rickenbaugh (East Juniata/McAllisterville) each scored one goal, giving them both six goals on the season. Marie Lobaugh (Biglerville/Aspers) had her fourth assist of the season, keeping her in a tie with Rickenbagugh and Silvey for the team lead in points. Betsy Kusniez (Boyertown/Gilbertsville) also added an assist in the win. Goalie Melonie Sappe? (Dallas/Shavertown) had a total of 24 saves in the two games, and has a save percentage of .841 on the season.

WOMEN?S VOLLEYBALL (10-2, 2-0 Commonwealth): Oct. 4-5 ASICS Collegiate Invitational at Juniata
After a week without a game the Eagles returned to the court against Division I Princeton University, and dropped the match 3-1. After dropping the first game, Juniata rallied to win the second game 30-26, but then lost the third and fourth games, the fourth by a 30-27 score. Niki Mueller (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona) paced the offense with 15 kills. Johanna Holtan (Fargo North/Fargo, N.D.) led the defense with 21 digs. Danielle Hart (Central/Roaring Spring) and Katie Laucks (West York/York) each had four blocks, while Lindsey Habel (Glen Oak/Canton, Ohio) tossed in three serve aces. Finally, setter Carli Dale (Conchranton/Cochranton) did a little bit of everything, with 47 assists, six kills, seven digs and two aces.

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