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 kills during the third set with six.
• The start of the fourth set saw three lead changes, with the Soaring Eagles putting themselves in front, 11-7. Wilkes would come back to tie the game at 12 after scoring five of the following six points and eventually take a 16-15 lead. However, Elmira notched six of the following seven points, giving it a 21-17 lead, and would hold on to its advantage to take the fourth set 25-20, forcing the match to five sets. Peiser led the Soaring Eagles with six kills, bringing his total to 22 for the match.
• The decisive set saw both teams tied at five to open the round. Wilkes scored three straight points before Elmira went on a 5-1 run to take a 10-9 lead. The Soaring Eagles put themselves within a point of victory, holding a 14-12 lead. However, Wilkes answered with three points to put itself in the driver's seat at 15-14. Elmira tied the set at 15 with a Peiser kill but could not hold off the Colonels and dropped the set 17-15. Peiser's four kills in the set gave him a career-high 26, breaking his previous record of 24 that he set against Vassar earlier this season. Jata and Staron also finished with double-digit kills, slamming 13 and 10, respectively.
• The Soaring Eagles tallied eight service aces during the contest, with Vargas leading the way with three, tying his career-best mark.
• Max Cohen '25 notched a season-best total in set assists with 50.
• Elmira would drop the first set to Juniata 25-16 after leading 7-6 early on. Peiser and Jata each logged two kills during the opening set.
• The Soaring Eagles kept things close through the early part of the second set, trailing 13-12 to the Eagles. However, five consecutive Juniata points put them too far ahead, and Elmira fell in the second set 25-18. Peiser and Jata matched their kill totals from the first set, bringing their game totals to four apiece.
• Elmira would not hold a lead in the third set, allowing four of five points after bringing the score to 4-3. From there, the Soaring Eagles could not get to within three points of the Eagles, and they fell by a final of 25-14. Jata led Elmira with two kills in the third set, giving him six for the match.