Conference News
Juniata Moves Past Princeton in Five
Juniata Moves Past Princeton in Five
HUNTINGDON, Pa.-Juniata College men's volleyball helped
its EIVA playoff chances alive by defeating Princeton University,
3-2, Friday night at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center. After
the Eagles took sets one and two, the Tigers fought their way back
winning sets three and four, but in the end Juniata came out on
top.
Set scores for the Eagles were 30-27, 30-25, 24-30, 29-31,
15-13
After dropping two straight sets in sets three and four, the Eagles
came out fired up in set five. Evan Halteman's (Perkiomenville,
Christopher Dock) kill put the Eagles on the scoreboard first and
gave Juniata the momentum it needed for the final set. Princeton's
Michael Dye answered back with a kill. After Dye's kill, Juniata
rattled off two points including a Zach Wanner kill (Lancaster,
Pa./Hempfield), retaking a lead they would never relinquish.
The set was close with each team battling for the lead. A block by
John Almquist (York, Pa./ Central York), Mike Kraft (York, Pa./
Eastern York) and Halteman forced Princeton to a timeout at 10-7 in
the fifth set. Out of the timeout, Dye struck back with a kill and
a Juniata attack error put the Tigers within one point of the
Eagles at 10-9. Juniata bounced back with the help of a Princeton
service error and a kill by Chris Vrooman (Baden, Pa./ Ambridge) to
widen the gap for the Eagles at 12-9.
Juniata had match point (14-12), but Princeton was not ready to
fold and Carl Hamming stepped up with a kill to put the Tigers
within one point to tie the set. Wanner ended the set and match for
the Eagles with one of his 19 kills in the match.
Earlier in the match, the Eagles took the lead in set four but the
Tigers had momentum from the third set and used it to their
advantage, coming up from behind and tying the set at five all.
Juniata went on a seven point run with Almquist serving, which made
Princeton call a timeout at 13-6. Pat Schwagler's kill ended the
run for the Eagles.
Juniata kept a lead on Princeton well through the late part of the
set, until a block by Vincent Tuminelli and Dye tied the set at
29-29. A Tuminelli kill gave the Tigers set point and Scott
Liljestrom nabbed the set with a service ace.
Halteman was the scoring leader for Juniata with 20 kills and two
errors on 35 attempts, hitting .514 in the match. Wanner and
Vrooman tallied 19 kills each. Wanner logged a match and career
high of 22 digs against Princeton. Ben Wolff (Meadville,
Pa./Meadville) hit .522 with 14 kills. Wolff also logged two
service aces.
Almquist accumulated a career and match high of 74 assists, along
with 14 digs, while Anthony Damiano (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township)
tallied 11 digs during the match.











