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Clarkson University Athletics

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Sophomore Savannah Peters has 23 kills and 19 blocks in her last five matches. - Photo by David Cheval

Women's Volleyball October 19, 2016

CU Volleyball Preview - at Liberty League Weekend #4

Two regular season weekends remain for the Clarkson University Volleyball team, but the more important of the two is just a few days away as the Golden Knights seek to lock up a Liberty League playoff spot and possibly home court for the conference tournament in early November.

The Golden Knights are currently tied for first place in the Liberty League standings at 7-1 overall, matching up with Vassar's record of 7-1. With four straight wins this weekend, the Knights will clinch the top seed, and even with a defeat of Vassar they still would have a chance at the top spot if they slipped up somewhere else along the way. One win will put the Knights into the conference post-season for the sixth time in the six years it has existed.

Clarkson suffered a tough weekend in Michigan, going 0-4 against top level competition, including two teams ranked in the top five in the nation. The Golden Knights still played well, although they were without freshman middle hitter Rachel Reusch, who leads the Liberty League in hitting percentage (.334). Freshman outside hitter Maddie Bredehoeft made up for Reusch's absence, scoring 19 kills against fifth-ranked Hope on Saturday. Junior Rachael Aird also had a big week (23 kills versus Potsdam, 19 kills and 8 blocks against Ohio Wesleyan) and continues to lead the Golden Knights on offense. Aird ranks in the top five in the Liberty League in kills (3.55 kps), hitting percentage (.292) and blocks (0.74 bps). Her 334 total kills are 27th in the country, and her hitting percentage of .292 is the second-highest in all of Division III for players with at least 300 kills in 2016. Even with the solid offensive production, Clarkson's defense has carried the team through longer rallies as Clarkson is 35th in the country in digs per set (18.30 dps) and is tied for ninth in total digs (1720). Freshman Kate Isaksen is averaging 6.06 digs per set, which ranks 15th in the country, and she is one of five players for Clarkson to average more than two digs per set.

The Knights will look to clinch a playoff spot right away on Friday when they take on Bard College. The Raptors (6-21, 0-8) went down in three sets (25-14, 25-14, 25-10) in the first meeting between the two teams, but Bard is much improved. Sophia Koukia averages a team-best 2.75 kills per set and also has 0.35 aces per set (29 total). Philippine Alba averages better than two kills and two digs per set, while Victoria Chou contributes 4.38 assists, 0.35 aces and 2.24 digs per set. Emily Anastasi is the team's leader on defense with 3.48 digs per set, but she also is accurate from the service line with 0.50 aces per set.

Clarkson will close out Friday's matches against Skidmore College (12-35, 3-5). The Thoroughbreds lost in three straight sets to the Knights in the first meeting just two weeks ago (25-16, 25-23, 25-19), but Skidmore will be fighting for its playoff life this weekend. Vassar and Clarkson are already virtually assured of a spot in the league playoffs and RIT has also already clinched. Leading the charge for the Thoroughbreds are hitters Caite Canfield (2.59 kill per set) and Katy Ehnstrom (2.56 kills per set). Ehnstrom also averages nearly a block per set (0.90 bps) and is hitting .281. Bailey Hutchins and Lauren Wolters share the setting duties and are combining for just under 10 assists per set, while Marcela Familiar-Bolanos is the team's top defender with 5.29 digs per set.

Although it could be decided prior to Saturday morning's matches, Union College is also looking to gain the final spot in the conference standings. With two wins on Friday coupled with two losses by Skidmore, the Dutchwomen may already have secured the fourth spot in the conference tournament. Regardless, that won't stop Union from attempting to exact some measure of revenge against the Golden Knights. Clarkson won in three sets in the first meeting of 2016 (25-17, 25-17, 25-20), but Union didn't perform particularly well, with only outside hitter Ally VanDoren providing much damage on offense (14-6-40). The rest of the team accounted for only 14 kills in the match and a .004 hitting percentage. VanDoren averages 3.38 kills per set on the season, while Emma Sprotbery kicks in 2.47 kills per set. Kat Moeller is the team's top defender with 5.89 digs per set (16th in the country) and Amanda Price leads the offense with 8.83 assists per set. Union's weak point is in the middle, as the team averages just 0.83 blocks per set.

Vassar (16-7, 7-1) is the only team to have beaten Clarkson in league play this year, and if everything falls right for both teams, that match could decide who will play host to the conference tournament. The Brewers won the first match in four sets (18-25, 25-14, 25-21, 25-21) thanks to strong performances from the team's outside hitters. Jane McLeod hit .381 (19-3-42) and Devan Gallagher hit .348 (21-5-46). The duo is putting together more than seven kills per set (3.59 for McLeod, 3.55 for Gallagher) and combining to hit better than .300 on the year. Annie MacMillan finds the pair frequently with 10.26 assists per set, and is the team's top performer from the service line (41 aces, 0.51 per set). Clarkson's starting middles did well against the Brewers in the first meeting, hitting .362. Aird had 10 kills and Reusch struck for nine kills back in September.
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Players Mentioned

Rachael Aird

#10 Rachael Aird

OH/MH/RS
6' 0"
Junior
Maddie Bredehoeft

#5 Maddie Bredehoeft

OH
5' 9"
Freshman
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
Maddie Bredehoeft

#5 Maddie Bredehoeft

5' 9"
Freshman
OH
Rachel Reusch

#12 Rachel Reusch

6' 2"
Freshman
MH
Kate Isaksen

#17 Kate Isaksen

5' 9"
Freshman
L/DS