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Behind PremDas Sixth-Ranked Stevens Upsets No. 2 Juniata
Files associated with this release:
Box Score vs. No. 2 Juniata - February 9,
2011
HUNTINGDON, Pa.
(February 9, 2011) – Senior opposite hitter SteFan
PremDas hit an impressive .417 on 36 swings, with a match-high 20
kills, as the sixth-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology
men’s volleyball team upset American Volleyball Coaches
Association (AVCA) Division III No. 2 Juniata College, 3-2 (16-25,
21-25, 25-16, 25-19, 15-12), at the Kennedy Sports & Recreation
Center in Huntingdon, Pa. The win – the Ducks’ eighth
of the season – represents Stevens’ first-ever victory
over the six-time Molton Division III national champions.
Trailing 2-0, the Ducks started to put things together in the
third, hitting .360, while holding Juniata to a .032 attack
percentage in a 25-16 set victory. The Stevens defense continued to
hold steady in a 25-19 triumph in the fourth, this time keeping the
Eagles at bay by allowing just a .043 swing rate. Hoping to
complete the comeback, the Ducks offense came to life in the fifth
and final frame, tallying a .500 hitting percentage in a 15-12
tiebreak win.
Freshman David Evans added 12 kills and six digs, while senior
middle hitter Timothy Karl added nine kills and three digs, hitting
.438 in the victory. Senior outside hitter Jonathan Landis finished
with seven kills and six digs, while sophomore Jake Modestow
tallied a .308 hitting percentage with six kills and four blocks.
Ducks’ senior co-captain Brandt Grobeis chipped in with 50
assists and six digs while directing the Stevens’
offense.
Senior outside hitter Chris Vrooman (Baden, Pa.)
led the Eagles with 16 kills and five digs, notching a .343 attack
rate, while freshman Alex McColgin (Hamburg, N.Y.)
finished with 13 kills, five digs, and four blocks. Fellow freshman
Ross Madden (Richmond, Va.) and junior Ben
Wolff (Meadville, Pa.) had nine and eight kills,
respectively, with Wolff hitting .353 to go along with five blocks,
while junior setter John Almquist (York, Pa.)
dished out 38 helpers.
Stevens returns to action on Saturday, February 12 against
Division I Harvard University.
Set 1: No. 2
Juniata 25, No. 6 Stevens 16
The Eagles raced out to an early lead, taking a
3-1 edge on a Ducks’ attack error before back-to-back kills
from PremDas and freshman Ryan Seifert knotted the set. The Eagles
responded by mounting a 12-7 run, taking a 15-10 advantage on
another Stevens’ error.
Still up five at 17-12 after a Wolff spike, Vrooman and Madden
notched consecutive points to extend the Eagles’ margin to
seven. Ahead 22-15, Vrooman again found a hole in the Ducks’
defense, tallying another kill, before a McColgin score coupled
with a Stevens’ service error gave Juniata the frame.
Set 2: No. 2
Juniata 25, No. 6 Stevens 21
Hoping to tie the match, Stevens came out strong to start the
second, taking a 6-0 lead on two-straight PremDas and Modestow
points, but an 11-7 Juniata rally buoyed Wolff, Vrooman, and
McColgin kills, quickly trimmed the Ducks’ margin to two.
Looking to rebuild their lead, Stevens notched the set’s
next two points to take a 15-11 edge on a Landis kill, forcing an
Eagles timeout. Wolff would look to get the Eagles back on track
coming out of the break, tallying a spike as Juniata crawled to
within 17-15 before a Stevens’ stoppage.
Still up by two at 19-17, the Ducks committed consecutive errors,
allowing the Eagles to tie the set, before a Landis spike helped
Stevens regain the lead. From there, Juniata closed out the frame
on a 6-1 run before taking the set on a Vrooman kill.
Set 3: No. 6
Stevens 25, No. 2 Juniata 16
Trying to stave off elimination, Stevens again got off to a fast
start in the third, this time taking a 5-2 edge on back-to-back
Landis service aces. Up 6-3, The Ducks would tally seven of the
set’s next 11 points, building a six point cushion on a
PremDas spike.
Ahead by five at 15-10, Stevens tallied three-straight points,
going up 18-10 on an Eagles’ error. Still up eight at 20-12,
the Ducks did just enough down the stretch, getting spikes from
PremDas and Modestow to pare the set count to 2-1.
Set 4: No. 6
Stevens 25, No. 2 Juniata 19
With the set knotted at six in the early going,
the Ducks tallied the frame’s next two points on a Karl kill
and Juniata error. Still ahead by two at 10-8 after a PremDas kill,
Stevens mounted a 5-3 run over the next several minutes of action,
forcing a Juniata timeout after another PremDas spike.
Leading 17-13, the Ducks tallied consecutive scores to up the
margin to six, but a Ducks’ error coupled with a Vrooman
spike quickly cut into the Eagles’ deficit. Still up six at
24-18, the Ducks committed an attack error that trimmed the
Stevens’ lead to five, but PremDas hammered home a kill on
the ensuing play to knot the match at two sets apiece.
Set 5: No. 6
Stevens 15, No. 2 Juniata 12
Looking to complete the comeback bid, Stevens took
a 4-2 advantage on a pair of Evans kills. The Eagles answered by
battling back to 6-6 before regaining the lead on a Ducks’
attack error. Still down one at 9-8, Stevens responded, following
up a Juniata service miscue with consecutive PremDas spikes to go
up 12-9.
Clinging to a 14-11 lead after another PremDas kill, the Ducks
surrendered Vrooman’s 16th spike of the evening, before
Grobeis found a crease in the Eagles’ defense to tally the
match-clinching score.
