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Swarthmore College Athletics

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OFFICIAL ATHLETICS SITE OF  THE SWARTHMORE COLLEGE GARNET

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Adam attacks the ball over the net against F&M
3
Winner Juniata JUN 1-0,0-0 Landmark
2
Swarthmore SWAT 0-1,0-0 Centennial
Winner
Juniata JUN
1-0,0-0 Landmark
3
Final
2
Swarthmore SWAT
0-1,0-0 Centennial
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Juniata JUN 25 18 25 25 15 (3)
Swarthmore SWAT 19 25 27 16 9 (2)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Volleyball Loses in Five-Set Thriller Against No. 1 Juniata

SWARTHMORE, PA. - The Swarthmore College volleyball team pushed No. 1 Juniata College to its limits with a 3-2 loss in a five-set thriller to cap off the opening night of the Garnet Invitational on Saturday. 

The Garnet led the three-time defending national champions heading into the fourth set, but dropped the final two to surrender the game. The Eagles have now won 98-straight contests, but were taken to five sets in the regular season for the first time since 2022.

Isabel Adam paced the offense with a game-high 17 kills and a .286 hitting percentage. Maya Sheridan and Madeline Mountcastle split setting duties with 17 and 15, respectively. 

Melissa Eyer started off her sophomore campaign with a remarkable effort. The reigning Regional Rookie of the Year totaled a game-high 18 digs, including several highlight-reel receptions against the nation's top competitors. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Early in the first set, the Garnet kept the Eagles at an arms length with three ties and two lead changes. Juniata began to create separation with three-straight points to build a 10-6 lead. Moments later, Swarthmore answered with an Alexia Enache kill to cut its deficit in half, 14-12. However, the Eagles countered with five of the next six points, riding momentum to a 25-19 opening set win. 

- Swarthmore built an early lead in the second set. Enache helped capture momentum with a kill, while Mountcastle followed with an ace to spark a 4-1 Garnet swing. However, following an Eagles timeout, the nation's top team tilted the set in its favor with five-straight points to capture the lead, 10-9. After exchanging blows, Swarthmore found itself back in front with five-unanswered points amongst a 7-1 run to take a six-point advantage. Adam ended up clinching the set with a kill to even the score with a 25-18 set victory. 

- The Garnet rode momentum into a wild third set, which featured 12 ties and six lead changes. Juniata had the upper hand early with six-straight points to build an 8-4 advantage, but Swarthmore quickly shrunk its deficit to one after consecutive aces from Keira Miles. The Garnet eventually evened the score with three-straight kills from Enache, Adam and Mountcastle. Moments later, Miles tied the game once more with a kill, while an Adam kill and Sheridan ace gave the Garnet a 16-14 advantage. Late in the set, Juniata found themselves in the driver's seat with a 23-20 lead, before Swarthmore punched back with four-straight points - three of which were kills from Adam. The Garnet went on to clinch the set with an Adam kill and Eagle attack error, 27-25. 

- The Eagles withstood the Garnet with a fourth-set victory. Juniata started fast with an early 8-1 run and never looked back. Later in the set, Swarthmore began to gain some ground with a 4-1 swing, but surrendered five-answered points to stifle momentum. The Eagles survived with a 25-16 victory to force a fifth set. 

- Juniata set the tone early in the fifth set with a 3-0 lead. The Eagles led the entire way, clinching victory with two-straight kills, 15-9. 

GARNET LEADERS
Kills: Adam 17
Aces: Miles 4
Blocks: Montgomery 3
Assists: Sheridan 17, Mountcastle 15
Digs: Eyer 18

UP NEXT
The Garnet (0-1) wrap up opening weekend against UMASS Boston and SUNY Cortland in tomorrow's Garnet Invitational finale.
 
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