The Basics:
Score: No. 3 Juniata 3, Roanoke 0
Records: Eagles 16-2; Maroons 6-7
Location: Huntingdon, Pa.

The Lead: The Roanoke men's volleyball team kept it close to start each set before No. 3 Juniata pulled away for the 3-0 sweep on Friday evening.

Highlights:

• The Maroons tied the score up twice early in the first set with a kill by Jackson Rutkowski to tie the score at 1-1 and a kill by Connor Brooks to tie the score at 3-3. Roanoke pulled within two on a block solo by Brooks at 6-4, but the Eagles used a few small runs to pull ahead 22-12. A kill by Michael Cummins brought the lead back down to single digits, but three straight points by Juniata gave the Eagles a 1-0 set lead with a 25-13 set one win.
• Roanoke kept it closer longer with Juniata to start the second set by answering a run by the Eagles with their own 3-0 run, capped by a service ace to tie the score at 5-5. A 7-2 run by the home team put them ahead 12-7 before back and forth, and two-point runs put the Eagles ahead 14-11. A kill by CJ Kingston would bring the Maroons back within five at 20-15. Juniata would score three of the final four points for the 25-17 set two win and take a 2-0 match lead.
• The beginning of the third set was closer for longer than the previous two sets with the score tied at 3-3 and 4-4. After the Eagles took a four-point lead at 9-5, a Juniata error and a kill by Brooks but the lead down to two at 9-7. A 6-0 run by the Eagles was answered with a 6-1 run by the Maroons that saw Juniata lead 17-13. The home team then responded with a 5-0 run to take an eight-point lead at 21-13. Roanoke saved three match points to pull within six, but an Eagles kill gave Juniata the set three win, 25-18.

By the Numbers:

• Pierce Faulcon led the offensive effort for the Maroons with six kills with a .250 attack percentage. Rutkowski finished with five kills and Brooks and Cummins each finished with four kills against the Eagles.
• Brooks finished the match with four total blocks including three block solos.
• Leo Houser dished out 14 assists while Davin Stephenson set up six.
• The Maroons finished with seven total blocks against a team that spent time as No. 1 this season, finishing with just six.  

Up Next: The Maroons remain in the Keystone state tomorrow when they travel to Elizabethtown for a CVC matchup with the Blue Jays at 12 p.m. Roanoke will then take on St. Vincent in a neutral site matchup with the Bearcats at 2 p.m.