The University of Mary Washington volleyball team fell to seventh-ranked Juniata College and then defeated 25th ranked Johns Hopkins University on Friday in the Wid Guisler Invitational. Head coach Matt Troy earns his 200th career victory. The Eagles dropped the first match to Juniata 3-0, and then took the second match 3-1 against Johns Hopkins. UMW is now 15-10 on the season.
In the first match against Juniata, the Eagles went down early 6-2. UMW climbed back into the match as they brought it within two points, 9-7. Juniata then went on a 16-4 run to take the first set 25-11.
UMW took an early 5-4 advantage in the second set after Wren Berry had a service ace. The Eagles of Juniata, grabbed an 11-7 lead after a couple of kills. UMW brought it to within two 11-9, before Juniata went on 6-0 run to take a 17-9 lead. UMW fell in the second set 25-14.
The third set was much closer as the Eagles agin held a 5-4 advantage after an attack error. The match stayed even at 15-15 as Tenley Hares put away a kill on an assist from Berry. After the Eagles took a 17-15 lead, Juniata reeled off five straight points to take the lead and win the third set 25-20.
Alana Harris led the Eagles with eight kills and Hares added six, while Berry had 19 assists.
In the second match of the day, the Eagles fell down early 9-6. Peyton Dunow kept UMW in the set at 19-16 on a kill from Berry. The Eagles tied the match at 22-22 as Savannah Powers put down a kill. Hares then served for the rest of the set and earned a service ace to help the Eagles win 25-22 in a comeback effort.
The Blue Jays gained the lead early in the second set as they went up 9-4. UMW tried to mount a comeback as they got within three points, 11-8, off of a service ace by Kendal Hall. JHU went on a run from there and it was too much to overcome for the Eagles and they dropped the second set 25-18.
The third set was very tight as neither team gained more than a six point advantage. UMW took that six point lead 12-6 on a ball handling error. JHU made a mini-run and tied the game up at 16-16. After the Blue Jays scored two more points to take the lead, Leslie Walters and Dunow tied the game up after back-to-back kills. JHU saved off a set point at 24-23, but the Eagles used a kill from Powers and a service ace from Dunow to win the third set 26-24, and take a 2-1 set advantage.
The fourth set was another back-and-forth effort as both teams never let the game get away from them. The Blue Jays took the first crack at a two point lead at 8-6. Harris tied the game up at 10 a piece on a kill from Berry. After the Eagles trailed 13-11, Hall went on a serving run that saw UMW win four straight points and take the lead 18-15. Over the last few points of the match Powers had two kills and a block to seal the fourth set 25-20.
Powers had 18 kills, while hitting .351, and Dunow had 11 kills. Ryan Cho registered 24 digs and Berry dished out 44 assists.
The Eagles will be back in action on Saturday as they will play regionally ranked Eastern at 11 a.m. as part of the Wid Guisler Invitational.