Volleyball Looks To Stay Hot In NEC Play At St. Francis (N.Y.), LIU
10/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
St. Francis (N.Y.) College Terriers (5-14, 1-5 NEC)
Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010 - 1 p.m.
Genovesi Center - Brooklyn, N.Y.
Quinnipiac University
Bobcats (4-15, 2-3 NEC) at
Long Island
University Blackbirds (4-15, 3-2 NEC)
Sunday, Oct.
17, 2010 - 1 p.m.
Wellness, Recreation and Athletic Center -
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Bobcats Travel To Brooklyn In Search Of Third, Fourth
Straight NEC Wins
Following an impressive weekend sweep of NEC foes Robert
Morris and Saint Francis (Pa.), the Quinnipiac University
volleyball team looks for its third and fourth straight wins
against NEC foes when it travels to Brooklyn, N.Y., to face St.
Francis (N.Y.) and Long Island, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Quinnipiac is 11-3 all-time against the Terriers, including three
consecutive wins. The Bobcats are 5-10 all time against LIU,
including 10 straight losses.
Scouting the St. Francis (N.Y.) Terriers
The Terriers (5-14, 1-5 NEC) are led by Anisa Lila, whose
3.92 kills per set lead the Northeast Conference. Liliana Rodriguez
leads the Terriers in digs per set with 4.72, while Gina Giles'
0.72 blocks per set are a team best. Maria Kashavelova's 7.60
assists per set lead St. Francis, while Marina Georgieva's 0.41
service aces per set are a team best.
Scouting the Long Island Blackbirds
The Blackbirds are 4-15 (3-2 NEC) following an extremely
difficult non-conference slate. Hanna Gibeau's 3.57 kills and 0.16
service aces per set are both team highs, while Vanessa Gemignani's
8.76 assists per set have led the Blackbirds' offense. Ashley
Rice's 0.94 blocks per set and Artisha Jackson's 3.16 digs per set
lead the LIU defense.
Brave New Accomplishment
Kayla Lawler (Louisville, Ky.) became the first Quinnipiac
player in nearly nine years to win NEC Player of the Week, Oct. 11,
after leading the Bobcats to a weekend sweep of Robert Morris and
Saint Francis (Pa.). Lawler compiled a pair of double-doubles and
six service aces on the weekend. The last time a Quinnipiac player
won the award, QU's mascot was the Braves. Heather Wollyung last
won the award on Oct. 15, 2001, the last of her four honors.
Shannon Dublin also won the award once, making Lawler the third in
Quinnipiac history to be honored.
Western Pennsylvania Wipeout
Quinnipiac shook up the NEC standings by earning its first
sweep of the league's Western Pennsylvania teams with a pair of 3-1
victories against previously undefeated Robert Morris (4-0), Oct.
9, and Saint Francis (Pa.), Oct. 10, at the Burt Kahn Court. The
win was the first in program history over the Colonials following
13 straight losses dating back to 1999.
Ashley's Aces
Freshman Ashley Kopacki (Mount Olive, N.J.) compiled a
season-high six service aces against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Oct.
10. Her previous season high was three.
Aces
Up
The Bobcats entered the week ranked 18th in the nation in
service aces per set (1.79), after finishing 199th in the nation
(1.14) in 2009. Individually, Kayla Lawler also ranked 18th in the
nation at 0.49 service aces per set, while Ashley Kopacki ranked
95th (0.37).
Dig
It
Led by Logan Riker's (Bowling Green, Ohio) 4.33 digs per
set, the Bobcats ranked 71st in the nation at 16.04 digs per set to
begin the week.
Five
Hasn't Been A Friend
The Bobcats have played to a five-set decision four times
this season, falling in all four. Quinnipiac was defeated by
Delaware State and La Salle at the Lafayette Invitational before
falling at NEC foes Bryant and Fairleigh Dickinson.
Spike Stopper
Amanda Armstrong (Waukesha, Wis.) set a new single-match
season high among Quinnipiac players with seven blocks at Sacred
Heart, Sept. 29. The previous season-high, set by Armstrong, Olivia
Grattan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Taylor Payne (Warwick, N.Y.), was
five.
Record-Breaking Performances
Despite falling in five sets to Bryant, Sept. 26, Kayla
Lawler set a new career-high in assists with 61, Logan Riker had a
career-high 31 digs and Olivia Grattan compiled a new high of 17
kills in just her freshman season.
2K-ayla Assists
With 44 assists in the Bobcats 3-2 defeat to Delaware
State on Sept. 17, junior Kayla Lawler eclipsed the 2,000-assist
mark.
Earning Their Spots After Hart-Break
After sweeping the University of Hartford for their first
win in 12 tries against the Hawks at the Division I level, Sept.
11, in Hamden, the Bobcats swept Lafayette for their first victory
over the Leopards in four tries, Sept. 18.
Record Breaker
Just two weeks after setting a new personal four-set
single-match record with 46 assists against Fordham, Aug. 28, Kayla
Lawler compiled a new personal three-set single-match record with
43 assists against Hartford, Sept. 11. Her previous record four-set
record was 41, set twice in her freshman year of 2008. Meanwhile,
Lawler's prior three-set record was 40, set last Sept. 20 against
St. Francis (N.Y.). Her five-set record is 61, set Sept. 26, 2010,
at Bryant.
Good
To Biediger Back
Sophomore Stephanie Biediger (Houston, Texas) made her
return to the court after missing more than a year due to injury on
Sept. 10. In her first tournament back, the outside hitter led the
Bobcats with 25 kills in three matches and added 34 digs, earning
Quinnipiac Invitational All-Tournament Team honors. Joining
Biediger on the all-tournament team was Lawler, who piled up 110
assists in three matches.
Grattan Grabbing Attention
In three matches during the Quinnipiac Invitational,
freshman Olivia Grattan had team highs in both kills (25) and
blocks (10).
Riker's Versatility Rewarded
Logan Riker was named to the Yale Invitational
All-Tournament Team after compiling 12 kills and 28 digs, Sept.
3-4. Riker took her customary position at libero to rack up 23 digs
in the first two matches of the weekend, before moving outside to
compile 10 kills against Stony Brook.
Starting Strong
A pair of newcomers to the Bobcats made impressive debuts
at the Beanpot Classic. Graduate student transfer Amanda Armstrong
was named to the All-Tournament Team after totaling 30 kills on the
weekend, including 15 against Fordham. Freshman Tracy Wright (Fair
Lawn, N.J.) had 44 digs on the weekend, including 17 to conclude
the weekend against Boston College.
Sophomore Surge
Taylor Payne began her sophomore season with a team-high
31 kills at the Beanpot Classic. At 3.10 kills per set at the first
tournament of the year, Payne showed marked improvement from her
0.90 kills per set average as a freshman.
Returning Cast
Quinnipiac returns much of last season's core of
student-athletes, as well as its 2008 Team MVP. Junior setter Kayla
Lawler, who almost solely ran the Bobcats' attack, returns as team
captain after dishing out 785 assists in 2009. The team's leading
hitter, Kelby Carey (Surfside, Calif.), also returns for her junior
season, a year after piling up 317 kills. Sophomore libero Logan
Riker is also back for the Bobcats after compiling 406 digs as a
freshman. Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore outside hitter Stephanie
Biediger returns to the Bobcats after missing the 2009 season due
to injury. Biediger was named Team MVP as a freshman after
recording 233 kills, 244 digs, 31 blocks and 66 assists. Taylor
Payne is the top returning blocker at 0.37 blocks per set.
On
Deck
The Bobcats return to NEC action when they face intrastate
NEC rival Central Connecticut Saturday, before playing host to
Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday. Saturday's match is scheduled for 1
p.m. at Detrick Gym, while Sunday's first serve is slated for 2
p.m. at Burt Kahn Court.
