The No. 6 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks face the top-ranked Juniata Eagles in the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball National Championship at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Cregger Center in Salem, Virginia. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Juniata vs Wisconsin Whitewater Volleyball Game Info:
What: 2024 NCAA DIII women’s volleyball National Championship
Who: Juniata vs Wisconsin Whitewater
When: Saturday, December 7, 2024
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Live stream: Watch on FUBO
Game preview: Juniata vs Wisconsin Whitewater
The Warhawks enter the championship match with a 31-3 record, following a hard-fought 3-2 semifinal victory over Johns Hopkins. Seeded sixth in this year’s tournament, Whitewater started with a commanding 3-0 win against Ohio Wesleyan in the first round and followed up with back-to-back sweeps of in-state rivals UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville.
A win on Saturday would secure Whitewater’s third national title and its first since 2005. This marks the Warhawks’ first championship appearance since 2007 when they fell in a five-set thriller to Washington University. Since then, Whitewater has struggled to reach deep into the postseason, advancing past the second round only three times.
Juniata’s Perfect Run
Juniata enters the championship with an unblemished 34-0 record and 96 straight victories, extending back to 2022. In Thursday’s semifinal, the Eagles overcame their toughest challenge of the season, rallying from a two-set deficit to defeat Hope College in a dramatic 3-2 reverse sweep (18-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-15, 15-11). The victory secured Juniata’s third consecutive and 11th all-time championship appearance. They are seeking their fifth national title in program history.
The Semifinal Comeback
Against Hope College, Juniata demonstrated incredible resilience after dropping the first two sets.
- Set 1: Hope’s dominant 8-2 run late in the set secured them a 25-18 victory.
- Set 2: Despite a strong start from Juniata, Hope capitalized on a decisive 9-0 run to claim the set 25-22.
- Set 3: With their season on the line, Juniata found their rhythm, taking control with a 6-1 run and holding off Hope 25-20.
- Set 4: Juniata dominated, finishing on an 8-0 run to win 25-15.
- Set 5: In the final set, Juniata rallied from an early 0-4 deficit, surged ahead with a 6-1 run, and clinched the match 15-11 on a match-winning spike by Kennedy Christy.
Key Performers
Juniata was led by Kennedy Christy and Mackenzie Coley with 15 kills each, while Audrey Muth contributed 14 kills. Olivia Foley tallied 48 assists, and Kiona Sky Rousset-Hernandez anchored the defense with 27 digs.
Championship Outlook
The Warhawks, with their balanced attack and tournament momentum, face the daunting challenge of Juniata’s undefeated season. With history on the line for both programs, fans can expect an intense battle for the title.
