Men’s Volleyball Falls to Wilkes and Juniata on Saturday Afternoon; Peiser Tallies Career-High 26 Kills in First Match on Senior Day

ELMIRA, N.Y. – The Soaring Eagles took the court for one final time this season on Saturday afternoon in a tri-match against Wilkes University and Juniata College. After honoring Jordan Peiser ’24 for senior day before the match, the fourth-year outside hitter notched a career-high 26 kills for the Purple & Gold in a five-set thriller vs. Wilkes, but Elmira would fall in the fifth set and drop the contest.

The Soaring Eagles would fall in three sets in their second contest of the afternoon, dropping the decision to sixth-ranked Juniata.

JUST THE BASICS (Match 1):

Location: Elmira, NY | Speidel Gymnasium

Score: Elmira: 2, Wilkes: 3

Records: Elmira (9-13, 1-6 UVC), Wilkes (20-8)

JUST THE BASICS (Match 2):

Location: Elmira, NY | Speidel Gymnasium

Score: Elmira: 0, No. 6 Juniata: 3

Records: Elmira (9-14, 1-6 UVC), Juniata (24-5, 7-1 CVC)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Elmira started the first match by dropping the first set to Wilkes, 25-22. The opening round was tightly contested, with three lead changes and 13 tied scores. After three straight Elmira points to tie the set at 17, the Colonels pulled ahead with a 3-0 run of their own, holding a 20-17 lead that they would not relinquish. Peiser tallied a team-best five kills during the first, while Dylan Vargas ’27 and Luke Jata ’27 finished with three apiece.
• The Soaring Eagles came back strong in the second set, holding an 11-7 advantage over Wilkes before the visitors scored four straight to tie the set. From there, Elmira scored five of the following six points to take a 16-12 lead. Despite a late push from the Colonels that brought them within a point of the Soaring Eagles at 23-22, EC closed out the set on top, 25-23, and tied the match at one. Elmira did not trail during the set, and Peiser once again led the Purple & Gold in kills with eight, while Gabriel Staron ’27 notched three.
• EC again took a commanding lead to open the third set, leading 12-4. Wilkes decreased the deficit to five at 20-15 before the Colonels rattled off six-straight points to take a 21-20 lead. Wilkes put themselves a point away from taking a 2-1 lead in the match when they held a 24-23 lead over the Soaring Eagles. After a Staron kill tied the set, Elmira let up two straight points and fell 26-24. Jata would pace the Soaring Eagles in…