Box Score HUNTINGTON, Pa. - Stevenson women's volleyball senior Christine Isenberg totaled 10 kills and 21 digs as the 21st-ranked Mustangs posted an 18-25, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20, 15-12 victory over No. 8 Juniata Saturday at Juniata's Kennedy Sport and Recreation Center in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship.
With the win, Stevenson (37-2) set a new school record for wins in a season while winning its first-ever meeting versus the two-time national champions.
The Mustangs, who have advanced to the program's first-ever regional final, will face a familiar foe in 17th-ranked Eastern on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. The Eagles won the previous match-up between the two teams this season on October 5, 26-24, 25-17, 25-18.
Eastern advanced to the regional final after sweeping Christopher Newport Saturday, 25-18, 25-15, 25-20. The Captains are the only other team to have beaten Stevenson this season.
Isenberg's 21 kills were a season-high and were the most she has had since she totaled 25 set in a 3-2 victory over Eastern on Sept. 29, 2012. She now has 995 career digs, only five short of becoming just the second player in school history to record 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.
Avery Gabbard totaled a school record 1,369 kills along with 1,145 digs from 2009-12.
Meanwhile, junior Megan Miller finished with 18 kills against the Eagles and in two games in the regional tournament, has totaled 29 kills, a .442 hitting percentage and seven total blocks.
Sophomore Imani Hudson added 13 kills and now has 372 this season, just two shy of Gabbard single-season record of 374 set in 2012.
After losing the first set, the Mustangs faced a possible 2-0 deficit as Juniata jumped out to a 17-10 lead in the second. However, Stevenson used an 11-4 run to tie the set at 21-21 before evening the match at 1-1 by edging out a two-point victory.
The Eagles took the third set to go in front 2-1, but the Mustangs rallied to win the fourth and fifth sets, totaling 24 kills and a .274 hitting percentage while limiting Juniata to just a .169 percentage with nine errors.
Trailing 2-1 in the fourth, Stevenson scored 10 of the next 14 points and bulit a seven-point lead at 18-11 and cruised to a five-point victory to force a fifth and deciding set.
Down 11-8 in the fifth, the Eagles rallied with a quick 4-0 burst to take a 12-11 advantage, but that would be their last point as the Mustangs scored the final four points, clinching the milestone victory on a kill by senior Jenna Campbell.
Freshman Kristen Brooks had one of the best matches of her young career as she finished with 11 kills and eight digs. Senior Jessica Gieselman totaled three kills, eight digs and 51 assists, breaking her own school record for assists in season as she now has 1,338. Junior Samantha Perillo had 19 digs and also added two kills.
Nakita Gearhart had 18 kills for Juniata (31-5) while Amy Miller totaled six kills, five assists, three service aces and 18 digs. Bryce Arnold contributed seven kills and 17 digs.