(Posted October 11, 2008)

LA VERNE, Calif. -- The Juniata College women's volleyball team wrapped up play in the 2008 University of La Verne Leopard Invitatational with a split, posting a 3-0 win over second-ranked Emory University, but then falling to unranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Set scores against Emory were 25-16, 25-12, and 25-23; against C-M-S, Juniata fell by scores of 27-25, 17-25, 27-25, 18-25, and 15-6.

Juniata was led in the Emory game by Amber Thomas (Ephrata, Pa./Conestoga Valley) with 12 kills and three aces, while Erin Albert (Philipsburg, Pa./Philipsburg-Osceola) had nine kills to go with three blocks.

Steph Strauss (Penn Hills, Pa./Penn Hills) recorded 14 assists with Beth Kozak (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) adding another 12, while Megan Sollenberger (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) had 12 digs.

Thomas also paced the Juniata attack in the loss to the C-M-S Athenas, with Albert tallying another 14 kills. Cassie Dickmann (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) had a pair of blocks in the loss, while Strauss and Kozak logged 25 and 24 assists respectively.

"They played us really well, and had a good game plan," said Juniata head coach Larry Bock. "They exposed some real weaknesses, so that probably makes this trip more valuable in that respect."

"A long time ago, I heard that to be truly ready for playoffs you should win a match you shouldn't have won, and lose a match you shouldn't have lost. We at least covered part B of that out here," said Bock.

The Eagles (19-2, 6-0 Landmark) will play four games over two days this coming weekend, at Elizabethtown College and Haverford College.

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