In perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the regular season, the Southern Virginia University men's volleyball team dueled with the fifth ranked team in the land, Juniata College, in the first of three matches for the Knights in Pennsylvania this weekend. It was all business from the start for Southern Virginia, as they hardly trailed en route to a victory in straight sets, their 18th consecutive win.
The Knights had been coasting through their opponents for much of the past few weeks, but Juniata would be a test to see where the Knights stood against one of the most talented teams in the country. The Eagles had the early edge in the first set, jumping out to a 7-5 lead. However, the Knights remained within striking distance, benefitting from a couple of attacking errors.
Amidst a back and forth opening frame, Samuel Candland stood out for the Knights, igniting a run of five consecutive points which would ultimately help his team capture an all important 1-0 set lead. In the second, Christian Sheaffer helped weather a strong start from Juniata by collecting two kills and two blocks during another lengthy Southern Virginia run. He, along with Jeremy Brown, put the finishing touches on set two, putting the No. 5 Eagles on the brink of just their third defeat this season.
Looking to cap another signature win, talented freshman Brady Dastrup got himself into the mix, registering a solo rejection at the net to put the Knights up 3-1 in the third. Meanwhile, Jeremy Brown couldn't miss on his way to recording nine kills in ten attacks. Kristo Bianchin was his typical, consistent self, with meaningful contributions on both sides of the play.
Jayton Hall served during a string of four straight points to nearly put Juniata away. Ultimately, the Knights became victors, courtesy of a service error from their opponents and won the final set, 25-18. The win moves the Knights to 18-0 on the season as they still have not relinquished a single set in the process. They also remain on top of the CVC standings in their quest to host the conference tournament for the third consecutive season.
Christian Sheaffer and Jeremy Brown led the attack, each finishing with a hitting percentage over .600. Justin Madsen stood his ground defensively with nine digs, and Gehrig Tolman finished his day with 31 assists to continue his impressive season. The Knights return to the floor tomorrow, March 15th, for two matches. They'll face Elizabethtown at 12:00 PM, followed by a matchup with No. 16 Misericordia at 2:00 PM.
STORY COURTESY OF SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE