(Posted November 13, 2001)

Huntingdon, PA - The Juniata College women's volleyball team (28-8), which advanced to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals for the 21st consecutive year after capturing the Mid-Atlantic Region crown on Saturday, will now journey to Trinity University (TX) (35-4) for the second time this fall on Saturday for an 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. ST) NCAA Division III quarterfinal round match. The Tigers, who captured the South Region title on Saturday evening, and the Eagles will battle for the right to move on to the NCAA Division III semifinals/finals to be held the weekend of November 30 - December 1 at a site which will be determined after the grouping of the final four teams are decided. Juniata is making its 21st straight appearance in the NCAA tournament, while Trinity is back in the national playoffs for the ninth consecutive time.

THE TRINITY - JUNIATA SERIES: Juniata and Trinity met on October 26 this year during the Trinity National Invitational, hosted by the Tigers. Trinity posted a 30-22, 30-22, 30-20 win for its first-ever victory over Juniata which was minus 2000 first-team all-American Brandy Workinger (Dallastown/Dallastown), who was sidelined with an ankle injury at the time. Juniata and the Tigers first met on September 19, 1992, when the Eagles posted a three-game triumph. Juniata then went on to win the next four outings (1995, 3-0; 1997, 3-2; 1998, 3-0; 2000, 3-1), before Trinity took this year's tilt. Overall, the Eagles are 5-1 versus Trinity and the two programs have never met in the NCAA playoffs. In 1999, when Juniata hosted the national semifinal and finals, the Tigers were part of that grouping, but they won their semifinal contest, while the Eagles fell in their semifinal showing. Trinity placed second in the nation that year, losing on the Memorial Gymnasium floor to Central (IA).

THE EAGLES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL: The top-seeded Eagles received a bye in the first round but then defeated fourth-seeded Eastern (Pa.), 30-20, 30-14, 30-25 on Friday in the regional semifinals hosted by Gettysburg. Workinger spent time in the front row for the first time since suffering an ankle injury on October 19. She responded with a team-high 13 kills, 17 digs and four aces. Sophomore opposite Danielle Hart (Central/Roaring Spring) had 13 kills as well and posted two digs and two assists. Sophomore outside hitter Johanna Holtan (Fargo North/Fargo, ND) had 10 kills and eight digs, while freshman setter Carli Dale (Cochranton/Cochranton) had 42 assists and 11 digs. Junior middle hitter Niki Mueller (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona) had seven kills and a block. On Saturday, the Eagles needed just 1:07 to secure their 21st consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III women's volleyball quarterfinal round with a 30-20, 30-19, 30-13 win over a Catholic in the regional finals. Juniata will receive word on where next Saturday's NCAA quarterfinal match will early this week. The Mid-Atlantic Region is paired with the South Region this year and Trinity (TX) won that region on Saturday evening. Mueller had a team-best 17 kills, a .500 hitting percentage, two blocks and one dig. Hart had 12 kills, hit .303 for the match and posted a club-high six aces to go with two digs and a block. Holtan had 12 kills, a .440 hitting percentage, 10 digs and a block, while Dale had 43 assists and 10 digs. Freshman middle hitter Erin Wisor (Altoona/Altoona) chipped in with seven kills, a .385 hitting mark, and two rejections. Workinger had a team-high 14 digs.

THE TIGERS IN THE SOUTH REGIONAL: Trinity, which was the first-seeded team in the South, hosted this past weekends regional tournament and posted a 3-0 win over East Texas Baptist in the semifinals after receiving a bye in the first round. In the finals, The Tigers handled Emory, 30-24, 30-25, 30-23, while sophomore outside hitter Shawn McLaughlin led Trinity in kills for the second straight match with 12. She also had six digs. Sophomore right side Morgan Anderson had 21 digs and had eight kills to go with four blocks. Freshman setter Ashley Farrimond handed out 38 assists, while junior outside hitter Brianna Iversen and sophomore middle blocker Kristin Papp each had 10 kills.

JUNIATA IN 2001: Coach Larry Bock's squad has won four consecutive matches and 23 of its last 28 in 2001. The most recent setback came to Wartburg, 3-0, during the final match of the regular season. Juniata has been led by Hart, who is averaging 3.99 kills per game to go with her .281 hitting percentage and team-best 64 service aces. Workinger is averaging 3.88 kills and a team-best 3.91 digs an outing. Mueller owns 98 rejections and is hitting a club-high .332 for the season. Dale is distributing 13.05 assists a game, while Holtan is posting 3.56 digs and 2.32 kills a showing. Juniata is ranked seventh in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Poll.

TRINITY IN 2001: Trinity is coached by Julie Jenkins and has won 22 straight matches and 32 of its last 33 after starting the year with a 3-3 mark. The Tigers were ranked second in the most recent AVCA Division III Poll. Heading into the NCAA playoffs, McLaughlin was leading Trinity in kill (3.34) and ace (0.625) average. Iversen was posting 3.30 kills and a team-best 4.40 digs a showing. Papp was hitting a club-high .334 and posting 0.89 blocks a contest. Farrimond was averaging 10.96 assists per game.

THE COACHES FOR THE QUARTERFINAL CLASH: The match up on Saturday will be a clash of experienced Division III mentors. Bock is in his 25th season at the helm of the Juniata program and owns the most wins among any Division III minds with his 922-158 record. Earlier this fall, Bock became just the second NCAA women's volleyball coach at any level to record his 900th career triumph. Jenkins is in the midst of her 17th year at Trinity and holds an impressive 445-253 record. At the start of the season, she was 17th among NCAA Division III active women's volleyball coaches in victories.

TICKET PRICES: Ticket prices for the match will be $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for students with identification and $2.00 for children under the age of 12.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.