(Posted November 12, 2004)

Gettysburg, PA ? The top-ranked Juniata College women?s volleyball team used a strong defensive effort and an efficient offensive to earn a 3-0 win over Frostburg State University in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Semifinal in Gettysburg, Pa. Friday afternoon. Juniata, which improved to 33-3 with the win, will play the winner of Friday night?s match between Gettysburg and Eastern in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Match Saturday night. Frostburg ends its season with a record of 30-6.

Juniata?s defense was the story of the match as the Eagles brought up 45 digs and limited the Bobcats to just a .019 attack percentage. On the flip side, Juniata hit .358 as a team with just 14 errors in the match.

?The ladies played a good match against a good team,? Juniata Head Coach Larry Bock stated. ?Our defense was real good, and we got a lot of swings off our counter attack. Tara [McMinn] did a great job of court management. When she plays that well, we?re going to be tough to beat.?

Game one was tight early, with Frostburg holding an early 4-3 advantage. The Eagles then found their rhythm with two kills apiece from Katie Laucks (West York/York) and Rachael Schatz (West Perry/Elliotsburg) highlighting a 10-6 Juniata run which gave the Eagles a 13-9 edge. A Frostburg State timeout did not slow Juniata as Stephani Kines (Towson/Towson, Md.) knocked out two of her game-best five kills to key a 6-2 run and force another timeout with the score 20-11 Juniata. Juniata pulled away from there, ending the 30-15 win with a kill from Laucks.

?[Setter] Carli [Dale] continues to be exceptional,? Bock said. ?She?s really the biggest difference for us. We were a little bigger, a little stronger, and we were able to find the floor consistently with our attacks.?

Juniata broke out to an early lead in game two, pulling out to a 5-0 lead and then a 14-5 edge after a kill from Kines. The lead would balloon to 19-5 and then 20-6 with Laucks adding a kill. A pair of double blocks from Frostburg?s Jodi Carpenter brought the Bobcats to within 10 at 21-11. Juniata?s Erin Wisor (Altoona/Altoona) then caught fire, knocking out two big kills down the stretch to give Juniata a 30-17 win.

Frostburg State seemed intent on sending the match to a fourth game, as they came out of the gates quickly in game three. Lauren Petrick pounded out a pair of kills to give Frostburg a 4-1 edge. A kill from Tara Emerick kept Frostburg in front 9-7, but Juniata then got on a roll, highlighted by five kills from Laucks to make the score 17-14 Eagles. A double block from Kelly May and Carpenter brought the Bobcats within five at 23-18. Juniata responded, reeling off six of the next eight points, with Amy Ressler (Hempfield/East Petersburg) notching four kills down the stretch to earn the Eagles the 30-20 game-three win.

Laucks finished with a game-high 14 kills for Juniata, while adding a team-best three blocks. Wirso and Kines each finished with eight finishes. Carli Dale (Cochranton/Cochranton) passed out 42 assists and helped Juniata to a .358 team attack percentage. She also brought up six digs. Tara McMinn (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) led the Eagles with 12 digs.

Petrick recorded seven kills to lead Frostburg, with Carpenter pitching in six kills and a match-high five blocks. Carrie Ness dished up 23 assists for the Bobcats, and Petrick added seven digs.

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