March 10, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - The Tigers defeated Juniata on Tuesday, March 10 by a final score of 3-1. With the victory the Tigers improved their overall record to 3-18, while the Eagles dropped to 9-5 on the season.
The set scores for the match were: 26-30, 30-22, 30-21 and 30-27.
In the first set, the Tigers and the Eagles battled through 22 tie scores and nine lead changes. Despite four kills from senior Joe Forbes (Westport, Conn.), junior Kevin Pratte (Hemet, Calif.) and senior Jeff Hendershot (Claremont, Calif.), the Tigers fell short in the first set by a score of 30-26. With the final tie score of the match at 26-26, Juniata pulled out four consecutive points for the win.
The beginning of the second set went back and forth as well. With the score knotted at 15-15, the Tigers went on a five point rally, including two kills from Pratte, to take a 20-15 lead. Leading 23-21, the Tigers used another five point run, to take command at 28-21. Another kill from Pratte and one from junior Jason Borchin (Roseville, Calif.) were included in the rally. Pacific closed out the set on a kill from Hendershot and a block from freshman Sean Daley (Moorpark, Calif.), who teamed up with Hendershot.
The lead the Tigers gained at 4-2, in the third set, would hold out until the end. With the Eagles starting to come back at 12-11, the Tigers scored four straight to jump their lead to 16-11. Later the Tigers had a three point rally taking the score to 24-15, including a block from Forbes and Hendershot, a solo block from Hendershot, as well as a kill. Pacific would go on to finish up the set by a final score of 30-21. Pacific outhit the Eagles .379 to -.027 during this set.
Battling through 14 tie scores in the fourth set, the Tigers came out on top, to win the match. With the Tigers down 17-14, freshman Eric Fuchino (Roseville, Calif.) had a kill that highlighted three straight points to even it up at 17-17. With the Eagles leading 26-25, Pacific scored four consecutive points to put them on top 29-26. A kill from Forbes and Daley, and an ace from junior Keving Downing (Poipu, Hawai'i) assisted the Tigers rally to put them one point away from victory. At 29-27, Borchin recorded match point on a kill from the left side. The Tigers won the set by a score of 30-27, and the match 3-1.
Pratte had career highs for the Tigers, with 17 kills and 14 digs. Borchin also added a double-double, with 11 kills and 12 digs.
Juniata's Zach Wanner had a match high of 20 kills.
The Tigers will be back in action at the Alex G. Spanos Center on Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. to take on California Baptist.
