Skip To Main Content

Scoreboard

Clarkson University Athletics

RhoadesSierra2016actionDC

Women's Volleyball October 6, 2016

CU Volleyball Preview - Liberty League Weekend #3 (10/7-8)

The middle of Liberty League play could decide whether the Clarkson University Volleyball team is in the hunt for hosting rights for the conference tournament at the end of the year or if the team will just be fighting for a playoff spot as the Golden Knights will take on four conference foes this weekend at Alumni Gymnasium and at St. Lawrence's Burkman Gymnasium.

The Golden Knights will host St. Lawrence at 4:00 pm on Friday and then will take on RIT at 8:00 pm that same evening. On Saturday, Clarkson will play Union at 12:00 noon and then face Skidmore at 2:00 pm in Canton, NY.

The Golden Knights are 12-4 overall and 3-1 in the Liberty League, having won nine of their last 10 matches. Three of those nine wins were five-set victories, and Clarkson has four such wins in 2016 so far, proving it is capable of winning the close matches. One of the five-set wins came against RIT, Friday's nightcap opponent.

Consistently solid on offense, Rachael Aird has shown to be an impressive first option as a hitter for Clarkson, recording 3.56 kills per set and a .285 hitting percentage to go along with 0.67 blocks per set. Rachel Reusch also averages better than two kills per set with a league-best .310 hitting percentage, while Katrina Lane has chipped in 1.84 kills and 2.29 digs per set. Jillian Saenz leads the team with 22 aces (0.36 per set) and guides the offense with 8.93 assists per set. Defensively, Kate Isaksen is among the league leaders with 5.66 digs per set, while Kendal Cheval ranks second in both digs per set (2.90) and aces (0.33) for Clarkson.

The Golden Knights swept St. Lawrence in three sets in the first meeting of 2016 to even the all-time series at 62-62. The Saints need to make up ground in the conference standings this weekend to get into the tournament at the end of the year, having won just once in the first four league matches with a record of 8-11 overall. Masha Kolesnikova is among the team leaders with 3.02 kills, 2.05 digs, and 0.42 aces per set, while Grace Kelly has a team-best .241 hitting percentage with 2.23 kills per set. Katie Kull averages 7.12 assists and 0.40 aces per set, but hasn't played since the first league weekend in mid-September. Since then, Maddy Bishop has taken over as the team's primary setter with 5.14 assists and 2.19 digs per set. Ally Good is the top defender with 4.19 digs per set and Amanda Teppo averages a block per set to top the conference.

RIT (13-9, 6-2 LL) will be closing out its conference slate this weekend and will be able to sit back and check how the seedings shake out with a win or two. The Tigers can't clinch home-court advantage this weekend, but they very well could guarantee at least the second seed with a solid showing. The Tigers lost in five sets to Clarkson in the first meeting this year and have lost 16 straight against the Knights, but still lead the all-time series with 23 wins in 41 matches. Sarah Szybist is the top offensive threat in the conference with 5.33 kills per set and a .269 hitting percentage, though her numbers are boosted by having taken nearly 300 more swings than any other player in the league. That said, opponents know where the ball is coming from and she still is able to score. Szybist also is among the team leaders in digs (2.84 dps), blocks (0.48 bps) and aces (0.44 aps). Anna Valentine and Sara Taylor each have recorded 1.87 kills per set and Erin Parkinson runs the offense with nine assists per set.

Saturday's opponents, Union and Skidmore, have yet to play Clarkson this year so scouting for the two teams will be limited. Both teams are also in a situation where they will at least need to tread water to maintain their playoff chances.

Union comes in at 14-7 overall and 1-3 in the Liberty League. Clarkson has won 12 straight against the Dutchwomen but trail in the all-time series 32-29. Ally VanDoren leads the team with 3.36 kills per set and is the only other player in the league besides Szybist to have accumulated more than 700 attacks (753). Emma Sprotbery is second on the team with 2.49 kills per set and Alyssa Bonesteel contributes 2.29 kills per set. Middle hitter Morgan Clark leads the team with a .296 hitting percentage and has averaged 1.90 kills per set. Amanda Price is one of the better setters in the league with 8.87 assists, 2.57 digs, and 0.37 aces per set, while Kat Moeller is once again among the top liberoes with 5.79 digs per set.

After a couple of down years, Skidmore (10-9, 2-2 LL) appears to be back among the contenders in the conference. Clarkson is just 17-29 all-time against the Thoroughbreds, but the team has won seven straight, including six consecutive sweeps. Katy Ehnstrom leads Skidmore in kills (2.67 kps), blocks (0.86 bps) and hitting percentage (.302). Caite Canfield is contributing 2.60 kills per set as well. Bailey Hutchins ranks first on the team in assists (5.70 aps) and also averages nearly three digs per set. Lauren Wolters is also tossing in 4.35 assists per set and 0.38 aces per contest. Marcela Familiar-Bolanos is battling with Kat Moeller and Kate Isaksen for the top digs per set average in the conference.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Rachael Aird

#10 Rachael Aird

OH/MH/RS
6' 0"
Junior
Katrina Lane

#14 Katrina Lane

RS/OH
5' 10"
Senior
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
Katrina Lane

#14 Katrina Lane

5' 10"
Senior
RS/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