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Women's Volleyball September 14, 2016

Clarkson Volleyball Preview - Liberty League Weekend #1 (9/16-17)

Women's Volleyball September 14, 2016

Clarkson Volleyball Preview - Liberty League Weekend #1 (9/16-17)

The last time the Clarkson University Volleyball team fell to a conference opponent was October 2012. Since that defeat, the Golden Knights have rattled off 44 consecutive victories against Liberty League foes in either the regular season or the conference tournament, and the Green and Gold hope to extend that streak of dominance this weekend when they face four league challengers in Rochester, NY.

The Golden Knights enter the weekend with a record of 5-3, including a 3-1 showing last weekend against some of the tougher teams in the New York Region in recent years. Clarkson will begin its Liberty League slate on Friday against Bard College at 6:00 pm and then will face host RIT at 8:00 pm. The Golden Knights will then take on St. Lawrence at 12:00 noon on Saturday, followed by a match against Vassar at 2:00 pm.

Only three players on the roster have played for more than a full season at Clarkson, so the team is still trying to find its identity on the fly. Regardless of that shortcoming, Clarkson has put forth a solid defensive effort along with an evolving offense. Freshman Kate Isaksen leads the conference in digs per set (6.71), pushing the Knights to the top of the league leaderboard in that category with over 19 digs per contest. Sophomore Kendall Cheval is sixth in the league in digs with 3.52 and freshman Rachel Reusch has put together a strong opening two weekends with 0.71 blocks per set. In addition to some excellence from the back row, Clarkson has seen Rachael Aird provide offense from multiple spots on the floor. Aird has seen time at both the outside and in the middle, but still ranks second with 3.90 kills per set, while Reusch is producing 1.94 kills per set and a league-best .355 hitting percentage. Sophomore Jillian Saenz is second in the league in assists (9.42 aps) and also leads the team in aces with 12.

Bard is the only team that Clarkson will face this weekend coming off a mid-week match as the Raptors won't get much of a break following a Wednesday tilt. The Raptors (2-5) have never beaten Clarkson in 11 meetings and are 0-10 since joining the Liberty League in 2011. Sofia Koukia leads the team with 3.48 kills per set (fourth in the league) and Philippine Alba tops the program with 3.53 digs per set. Three difference players average better than three assists per set, and the Raptors count Victoria Chou as one of them with 3.04 per set. Chou also is currently the league leader in aces per set (0.67).

RIT was one of three teams receiving first-place votes in the conference pre-season coaches' poll, and the Tigers are off to a solid start at 6-3. Clarkson has beaten RIT in 15 straight, including six times in the last two years which saw the two teams meet in the Liberty League Tournament. Sarah Szybist leads the conference by a wide margin in both kills (5.39 kps) and attacks (464) and she is clearly the number one offensive option of any team in the league, and has been since she joined the Tigers in 2013. Szybist rarely comes off the court, averaging 2.79 digs, 0.63 blocks and 0.58 aces per set. Erin Parkinson and Montana Vescovi do their best to find Szybist and each average better than eight assists per set while splitting the setting duties.

St. Lawrence got off to a slow start with losses in its first five matches, without taking a set. However, the Saints have recovered with four straight victories in which they went 12-1 in sets. Clarkson and St. Lawrence have met 123 times in the past 40-plus years and series couldn't be much tighter with the Saints earning 62 wins and Clarkson 61. However, the Golden Knights have won the last 10 matches and are 24-0 in sets in the eight meetings since 2012. Masha Kolesnikova leads the team in kills (2.92 kps) and aces (0.58 aps) while also ranking among the team leaders in digs (2.19 dps). Amanda Teppo leads the conference in blocks (0.92 bps) and Ally Good contributes 3.92 digs per set. Katie Kull runs the offense to the tune of 7.86 assists per game.

Like St. Lawrence, Vassar College started off 2016 with a tough schedule and lost its first five matches. The Brewers have mirrored the Saints' recovery, though, with four straight victories and 12 wins in 12 straight sets. The all-time series between Clarkson and Vassar is the very definition of dominance by one side at one time, with Vassar winning 11 of the first 12 meetings and Clarkson claiming the last 17 matches. The Brewers have always played the Golden Knights tough even though Clarkson has won 21 straight sets in the last seven matches since 2013. Annie MacMillan leads the conference with 9.91 assists per set, and she has found freshman Jane McLeod more often than anyone else on the floor. McLeod is averaging 3.53 kills per set (third in the league) with a .261 hitting percentage (fifth in the league). Devan Gallagher is one spot ahead of McLeod in hitting percentage with a .266 rate and is two spots behind in kills with 3.14 kps. Sierra Robin leads the Brewers on defense with 3.41 digs per set.
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Players Mentioned

Rachael Aird

#10 Rachael Aird

OH/MH/RS
6' 0"
Junior
Kendall Cheval

#11 Kendall Cheval

DS/OH
5' 6"
Sophomore
Jillian Saenz

#7 Jillian Saenz

S
5' 6"
Sophomore
Rachel Reusch

#12 Rachel Reusch

MH
6' 2"
Freshman
Kate Isaksen

#17 Kate Isaksen

L/DS
5' 9"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Rachael Aird

#10 Rachael Aird

6' 0"
Junior
OH/MH/RS
Kendall Cheval

#11 Kendall Cheval

5' 6"
Sophomore
DS/OH
Jillian Saenz

#7 Jillian Saenz

5' 6"
Sophomore
S
Rachel Reusch

#12 Rachel Reusch

6' 2"
Freshman
MH
Kate Isaksen

#17 Kate Isaksen

5' 9"
Freshman
L/DS