Paula Harris and Allie Huffman received All-Tournament honors

The AVCA D-II Preseason 12th ranked Jennies (3-1) began the 2009 season Friday with two matches at the University of West Florida Invitational in Pensacola, Fla.

The Jennies rolled against Eckerd in the early match Friday, 3-0, (25-15, 25-22, 26-24). Then, continued playing well beating Flagler in the second match, blanking the Saints, 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-18).

On Saturday the Jens faced the defending National Champions, No.1 Ranked Concordia St-Paul. The Golden Bears defeated UCM 3-1, (22-25, 12-25, 27-25, 15-25). The Jennies came back with a win in the second match of the day, topping the host West Florida, 3-0, (25-22, 25-23, 25-20).

The first set of the season saw the Jennies jump out to a 3-0 lead early. Bradye Peniston and Allie Huffman had back-to-back blocks during a 5-1 run to finish the set. Eckerd had trouble handling the UCM attack which posted a team hitting percentage of .325.

Late into the third set UCM led by six points 14-8. The Tritons made a bid to send it to a fourth game with a charge led by Eckerd senior Lydee Benoit tied the set at 15-15. With Head Coach Flip Piontek only nine points from his first career victory he called a much needed timeout. The Jennies regrouped. Jennifer Williams, Abby Gruenbacher, and Peniston combined to hit .391 in the final set leading the team to its first 2009 victory.

The Jens cruised through the second match of the day. The Saints, fumbling on the attack, committed 27 errors compared to only 15 for UCM.

Paula Harris hit .500 with 11 kills, and no UCM player made more than three errors in the entire match. Peniston chipped in with eight kills and two blocks. Caitlin Pankratz assisted on a match high 30 points.

In the opening set against Concordia St.-Paul the Jens looked focused. Fueled by attacks from Huffman and Harris, they held a 21-17 lead. Then the No.1 ranked Golden Bears took advantage of four UCM errors and a service ace from 2008 AVCA Player of the Year Maggie McNamara to take the lead 21-23 the Jens would lose the set.

The Jennies won the third set and lost the match tallying the lowest team hitting percentage of the season, .148, even with two players in double digit kills, Peniston, 10, and Harris, 12. That, along with 10 aces from Golden Bear servers proved to be too strong a mix for the Jens to overcome.

Flip Piontek was pleased with the teams resolve as they bounced back for another victory in the final match of invitational. West Florida fell to the Jennies in straight sets, 25-22, 25-23, and 25-20. Huffman led the way with 12 kills and Pankratz assisted on 32 of the team’s 40 kills, and chipped in with 4 kills of her own, hitting .800.