BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn volleyball team will head just under one mile up the street this Saturday, November 7, to take on the Blackbirds' closest Northeast Conference rival, St. Francis Brooklyn. First serve in Brooklyn Heights is slated for 1:00 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
The Blackbirds improved to 10-12 overall, and 9-2 in the NEC last weekend, with two big road wins. LIU beat Robert Morris, 3-1, and Saint Francis U., 3-0, extending the win streak to eight straight. With the wins, the Blackbirds clinched a spot in the Northeast Conference tournament, Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22.
NEC HONOREES
LIU Brooklyn volleyball took home two of the three top honors in the Northeast Conference this week, as seniors Tamara Ignjic and Adriana Viñas Joy were named Molten/NEC Player of the Week and Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week, it was announced by the NEC Monday afternoon. It is Ignjic's first honor of the season, and the fifth in her career, while Viñas Joy tallied her second-straight award, and the sixth in her career.
Ignjic provided the spark as LIU Brooklyn ran its win streak to eight and moved into a first place tie with Bryant with a 9-2 NEC record. In a 3-1 win over Robert Morris on Saturday, the senior posted a double-double with 20 kills and 11 digs while adding four blocks to help avenge an early season setback to the Colonials. On Sunday, Ignjic finished with 17 kills, five digs and a block in a 3-0 sweep of Saint Francis U. Ignjic completed the weekend averaging 5.29 kills and 2.29 digs per set. The senior currently ranks second in the NEC with 3.33 kills per set on the year.
Clinching her second-straight Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week honor, Viñas Joy averaged 7.0 digs per set to lead the first place Blackbirds to a pair of NEC wins against Robert Morris and Saint Francis U. In Saturday's victory over the Colonials, the senior tallied 24 digs along with seven assists and three service aces. In the clean sweep of the Red Flash the following afternoon, Viñas Joy recorded her second straight 20-plus dig game with 25 on the afternoon. The Puerto Rico native also added her name to the LIU record book, as she became the program's new career leader with 1,889 digs. Viñas Joy ranks second in the NEC with 5.31 digs per set and leads the league with 0.46 service aces per set.
SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
St. Francis Brooklyn comes into the match at 5-22 overall, 2-9 in the NEC. The Terriers have hit their stride recently, sweeping CCSU at home, 3-0, and beating Saint Francis U. on the road, 3-1. Junior Dominique Gerard leads the team with a 3.06 kills per set average.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds return home to the Steinberg Wellness Center, hosting Sacred Heart and Fairleigh Dickinson, in the final weekend of regular season conference play. LIU will take on the Pioneers, Saturday, November 14 at 1 p.m., and the Knights, Sunday, November 15 at 3 p.m.