Stats

The No. 6-ranked Emory volleyball team made a successful debut at the Wid Guisler Invitational Friday evening, defeating No. 21 and host Juniata College.  The Eagles upped their overall record to 25-4 following a 31-29, 25-23, 25-14 decision over the JC Eagles who slipped to 19-9.

Emory finished with a .132 hitting percentage (39-23—121) compared to Juniata's .044 (36-30—135).  Head coach Jenny McDowell saw her Eagles post a 59-53 advantage in digs over the host squad with Juniata recording a 10-9 edge in total blocks.

The senior duo of Breanah Bourque and Alex Duhl shouldered much of Emory's offensive load, racking up 31 of the team's 39 terminations.  Duhl totaled 15 successful attack attempts, her ninth performance of double figures in that category this season, and posted a blazing .500 hitting mark (15-2—26).  Duhl also contributed five block assists in the decision.  Bourque paced all players with 16 kills while checking in with an attack percentage of .281 (16-7—32) and four block assists.  Sophomore Cami Silverman and freshman Taylor Erwin paced the team with 14 digs while freshman Sydney Miles dished out 35 assists. 

Emory faced a 24-22 deficit in the first set but scored three straight points that put it within reach of winning the game.  However, JC picked up the next point that knotted things up at 25-25.  Emory fought off a pair of set points, the final one being a 27-26 obstacle with Duhl posting back-to-back kills that put the Eagles head, 28-27.  After an Emory service error, Duhl once again put the team ahead, 29-28, only to see Juniata tie the game.  Emory then closed out the set with a termination by Bourque followed by a JC attack error. 

In the second game, Emory trailed by an 11-8 count before responding with a 5-0 surge that enabled it to take a 13-8 edge, a lead that it would not surrender.  The Eagles extended their lead to 22-16 following a kill by Bourque but Juniata mounted a 7-2 run that drew it to within 24-23.  However, another successful put-away by Bourque ended JC's comeback bid and gave Emory a 2-0 cushion in the match.

Emory used an 8-1 outburst that expanded a 7-4 lead into what proved to be an insurmountable 15-5 advantage in the third set.  The Eagles held JC to a -.128 hitting percentage in the final game en route to raising its record to 6-1 against ranked  teams this season.

The Eagles return to action on Saturday with a match vs. No. 23 Eastern (1:00 p.m.) and Heidelberg (3:00 p.m.).