HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The No. 2 seed University of Scranton volleyball team (17-12) battled hard in all four sets, but dropped a 3-1 decision to the No. 1 seed and top-ranked Juniata College Eagles (29-0) in Saturday's Landmark Conference Championship match at Memorial Gymnasium in Huntingdon.
With the victory, Juniata earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Juniata 3, Scranton 1 (12-25, 13-25, 25-18, 15-25)
In the first set, the Eagles held an early 6-4 lead and then took eight of the next 10 points to open up a 14-6 advantage. Scranton managed to fight back within seven on three different occasions, but was unable to get any closer and Juniata recorded eight of the final 11 points in the 25-12 victory.
Kills by senior Stephanie Margolies (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) and junior Erin Keaveney (Collegeville, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) followed by a Juniata service error brought Scranton within one at 9-8 before the hosts took five straight points that made it 14-8. The Eagles notched 10 of the final 12 points in the set to seal the 25-13 win.
The Royals fought back from an early four-point deficit in the third set and trailed 17-15 before an Eagles' service error marked the beginning of nine straight points. Sophomore Deanna Whelpley (Congers, N.Y./Immaculate Heart Academy) delivered a pair of service aces as part of the run and Keaveney sealed the 25-18 victory with a kill.
Things were even at five apiece in the early stages of the fourth set, but Juniata then tallied six of the next seven points and never trailed again. Scranton trailed by just three at 11-8 before 10 straight Eagles' points led to the 25-15 win.
Margolies led Scranton with 11 kills, while Whelpley added nine and Keaveney came through with eight. Junior Gianna Detorie (Rumford, R.I./Bishop Feehan) and freshman Cammi Quirk (Oakland, N.J./Ridgewood) helped facilitate the attack with 12 assists apiece and Detorie also added six digs.
Sophomore Maddie Forry (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) headlined the defensive efforts with 19 digs and Whelpley added 14 of her own.
Mackenzie Coley and Audrey Muth led Juniata with 11 kills apiece.
--ROYALS--
