Juniata never lacks emotion, fan support

HUNTINGTON -- As the Juniata men's volleyball team warmed up for its match against No. 2 Penn State last night, many of its players wore shirts adorned with the motto - Anger is a Gift.

Some teams gain inspiration from sports icons like Vince Lombardi. The Eagles are motivated by Rage Against The Machine.

The motto is a perfect example of how Juniata approaches its games against the Nittany Lions. The Eagles came to the court last night expecting to upset the Lions, but fell short, losing the match in four games.

Juniata is currently the top ranked Division III team in the country, and they always look forward to any opportunities to show they can compete with Division I powers like Penn State.

The Eagles proved they could put up a fight, but are still a long way from being able to beat the Lions. One category Juniata does surpass Penn State in is fan support.

Over 800 fans attended last night's game at Juniata. That far exceeded the Lions' top home attendance of 500 when they faced George Mason last month.

"It helps when you have two-thirds of the school behind you," Eagle outside hitter Tim Shawaryn said. "It makes playing here all that much more fun."

The Penn State-Juniata rivalry is one built on a series of relationships that transcend the volleyball court, making the matches that much more personal.

One of the more notable relationships is that of Shawaryn and Lion co-captain Jason Kepner. They both played for Hempfield High School in Lancaster.

Shawaryn never actually played alongside Kepner, but he remembers how good he was even back during his high school days.

"In high school, Jason was the greatest thing since sliced cheese," Shawaryn said. "It's always fun to play against him."

Shawaryn did well on a personal level, topping his fellow Hempfield alum statistically, gaining 21 kills to Kepner's 18, but Kepner retained the bragging right that came with the win.

On the sidelines, there were similar personal ties. Both Penn State coaches gained experience at Juniata before coming to Penn State.

Lion assistant coach Dennis Hohenshelt was the Eagles head coach last year, and Patton was his assistant.

Penn State's head coach Mark Pavlik also has Juniata on his resume. He had many successful years there as its women's volleyball coach, and those times have not been forgotten.

"I love coming back here whether it is to coach or to watch," Pavlik said. "There is still a part of my heart here."

The EIVA playoffs will be the next time these two teams face. Once again, fans can be assured the Lions will be expected to win, and the Eagles will be planning on an upset.