Conference News
Juniata Drops Match at Pacific, 3-1
STOCKTON, Calif. - The University of the Pacific won three
straight sets after a first set win by Juniata College, lifting
Pacific to a 3-1 win over Juniata on Tuesday night in Stockton,
Calif. Set scores were 26-30, 30-22, 30-21, and 30-27.
Junior outside hitter Zach Wanner (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) led
the Eagles with 20 kills on 51 swings for a .176 attack percentage,
and recorded four blocks. Junior middle Evan Halteman
(Perkiomenville, Pa./Christopher Dock) was the only other Eagle
hitter to finish with a double-digit kill total, with 10 kills on
18 swings. Halteman also recorded four blocks on the night. Senior
middle Dan Powers (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) tacked on nine
kills.
Juniata hit just .185 for the match, with 31 attack errors and 16
service errors. Pacific responded with a .302 attack percentage,
and had four players with double-digit kill totals. Kevin Pratte
led the Tigers with 17 kills on 35 swings, while Joe Forbes logged
12 kills on 21 swings with only one attack error.
Senior Matt Werle (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) set 49 assists for the
Eagles, while junior libero Anthony Damiano (Lititz, Pa./Manheim
Township) turned up 14 digs.
In the first set, Juniata picked up the final four points of the
set to break a 26-26 tie and post the win. A Wanner kill and a Dan
Powers (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) solo block gave the Eagles
a 28-26 lead, and, after a Pacific timeout, Juniata got to set
point with an attack error by Pacific's Jeff Hendershot. Chris
Vrooman (Baden, Pa./Ambridge Area) closed out the set with a
kill.
The Eagles jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second set, but the
Tigers eventually tied the set at 15-15. Five straight points by
the Tigers, including a pair of kills by Pratte, gave Pacific a
20-15 lead, and another five-point run starting at 23-21 put the
Tigers in command of the set. Pacific scored the final three points
of the set, including a block by Sean Daley and Jeff Hendershot on
set point .
Another series of short runs in the third set, gave Pacific a 2-1
lead in the match, putting Juniata into a must-win situation for
the fourth set.
The Eagles saw a four-point lead at 17-13 evaporate and the Tigers
pull to within one point at 17-16, and Pacific eventually tied the
match at 18-18 on a Jason Borchin kill. The Eagles responded with
back-to-back kills by Werle and Wanner to retake a 20-18 lead, and
Juniata stayed ahead of Pacific through 26-26. A Wanner attack
error followed by a service ace from Pacific's Kevin Downing
allowed the Tigers to take a 28-26 lead. Forbes' kill put the
Tigers on match point, but Halteman kept Juniata within two points
with a side out kill of his own. With Brian Jaron (Severna Park,
Md./Mount St.Joseph) serving, Jason Borchin logged a kill for the
set and the match.











