BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn volleyball team is headed south this weekend, for two big Northeast Conference matches on the road. The Blackbirds will take on Robert Morris, Saturday, October 31 at 1 p.m., and follow that up with a visit to Saint Francis U., Sunday, November 1 at 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
The Blackbirds had a big NEC weekend at home, sweeping both CCSU and Bryant, 3-0. Against the league-leading Bulldogs, LIU never trailed, and improved to 7-2 in the conference. The win also avenged a loss earlier in the season to Bryant.
NEC HONOREE
LIU Brooklyn volleyball senior Adriana Viñas Joy earned her first weekly honors of the 2015 season, it was announced by the Northeast Conference Monday afternoon, as she was named the NEC's Defensive Player of the Week. It is the fifth time in her career that Viñas Joy has earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Viñas Joy turned in a pair of stalwart defensive efforts to help the Blackbirds to back-to-back NEC victories this weekend. Averaging 6.83 digs per game, she totaled a team-high 41 digs during the 2-0 week. She was sensational in a 3-0 sweep of Central Connecticut, totaling 29 digs (9.7/gm). Helping LIU to a second straight sweep in NEC play, the defensive specialist dug up 12 balls against Bryant. Viñas Joy connected on a season-high four service aces in the 3-0 triumph, as the Blackbirds dealt Bryant its second league loss of the season. Viñas Joy averaged 1.17 aces per game last week.
SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
Robert Morris is currently one game behind the Blackbirds in the standings, at 6-2 in the NEC, and 12-11 overall. Earlier this year, RMU handed LIU one of its only conference losses, a 3-0 defeat in the Steinberg Wellness Center that the Blackbirds will be looking to avenge. The Colonials lost to Bryant two weeks ago, but have rallied to beat CCSU (3-1) and SFU (3-0) in the past week.
Arden Fisher leads RMU's attack, with 3.20 kills per set, and also leads the squad with 3.98 digs per set. Leah Duncan is the squad's top blocker, with 80 total blocks, including 15 solo, good for a 1.18 blocks per set average.
SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
Saint Francis has gone 1-4 since their loss at LIU, and now stand at 4-19 on the season, and 2-6 in the NEC. Their lone win came on the road over CCSU, as the Red Flash beat the Blue Devils in five (25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 16-14).
Last time the two teams faced off, LIU won, 3-0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-22). Senior outside Hannah Kutny leads the SFU offense, with 2.59 kills per set, while Breanna Opera (2.14 k/s) and Emily Marcinowski (2.00 k/s) are also threats.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds will face off against local rival St. Francis Brooklyn, traveling a mile down the road to take on the Terriers, Saturday, November 7 at 1 p.m.