(Posted January 18, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College men's volleyball hit .116 for the match compared to Ohio State's .234 as the Eagles dropped their season opener to the Buckeyes, 3-0, Monday night at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center.

Set scores for the Buckeyes were 30-26, 30-21, 30-28.

Middle hitter Evan Halteman (Perkiomenville, Pa./Christopher Dock) started off his final season by leading Juniata with a .278 hitting percentage with eight kills on 18 attempts. Outside hitter Chris Vrooman (Baden, Pa./Ambridge Area) was the only other Juniata player to hit over .200, with a hitting percentage of .211 and nine kills, five errors on 19 attempts.

Setter Mike Kraft (York, Pa./Eastern York), making his first career start with the Eagles, tallied 30 assists. Anthony Damiano (Lititz, Pa/Manheim Township) logged eight digs, while Halteman and Kraft led Juniata at the net with three total blocks each.

Kevin Heine led Ohio State offensively with a .444 hitting percentage with 10 kills and two errors on 18 attempts. Grayson Overman came up big for the Buckeyes, hitting .333 with nine kills and four errors on 15 attempts.

Setter Steven Kehoe had 43 assists. Mik Berzins was the only player to reach double digits in digs with 11 of Ohio State's 32 digs.

Overman and Shawn Sangrey both had four total blocks leading an Ohio State squad that outblocked Juniata 12 to 9.5.

Juniata's best chance to steal a set off the Buckeyes came in the third set.

The Eagles were on top of Ohio State on the scoreboard 18-16. Juniata's two point lead quickly vanished when Ohio State went on a five-point run late in the set. The Eagles did not help themselves as they committed three errors during that run.

Juniata bounced back and tied the score back up at 25. A Sangrey kill put the Buckeyes back on top. The Eagles sided-out to knot the set at 26.

A Juniata service error and a Mike Stefani kill vaulted the Buckeyes into a two point lead. Four straight side-out points and a finishing kill by Stefani gave the win to Ohio State. Ohio State improved its season record to 2-4 with the victory.

Juniata's next match will be Saturday, January 23, at 7 p.m. when the Eagles will host Harvard University at the Kennedy + Sports Recreation Center.

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