BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn volleyball team (10-13, 7-3 Northeast Conference) is hitting the road for two NEC games with postseason implications. The Blackbirds will take on Bryant, Saturday, November 5 at 5 p.m. in Smithfield, R.I., before heading to New Britain, Conn., to face off with the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils, Sunday, November 6 at 3 p.m.
FOLLOW LIVE
Bryant - Live Stats | Live Video
CCSU - Live Stats | Live Video
PLAYOFF PICTURE
Three out of the four spots in the Northeast Conference playoff tournament have yet to be claimed. League-leader Sacred Heart is the only team that's clinched a playoff spot so far, with a 10-1 record in conference action. LIU is currently in a three-way tie for second place, with the two teams its facing this weekend. Bryant, CCSU and LIU all stand with 7-3 conference records. Robert Morris is also still in contention, sitting in fifth place, with a 6-5 record in NEC action.
LOOKING AT LIU
Offensively, junior Alexandra Lilliquist and senior Alex Larsen lead the Blackbirds. Lilliquist is fourth in the NEC and tops on the team, with a 3.04 kills per set average, while Larsen is right behind her at fifth in the standings, with a 3.00 kills per set tally.
The Blackbirds are coming off of a 3-1 win over local rival St. Francis Brooklyn. Senior Alex Larsen led LIU with 18 kills and five blocks in the win, while sophomore Viktoria Fink chipped in with a double-double, tallying 16 kills and 15 digs. Junior Alexandra Lilliquist also had a double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs. Freshman Emily Magee led the defense with 16 digs, while classmate Amanda Hubbard had 45 assists, and Katharina Krepper had five blocks.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Bryant (16-13, 7-2) comes into the weekend having won four of its last five matches, including wins over SFBK (3-0), Saint Francis (3-1), Robert Morris (3-2), and CCSU (3-1) last weekend. The Bulldogs are second in the NEC in hitting percentage and kills per set. Last time LIU and Bryant faced off, the Blackbirds won at home in mid-October, 3-1.
Bryant is led by sophomore Julia Flynn (3.00 kills per set) and senior Sara DePouw (2.63 kills per set).
SCOUTING THE BLUE DEVILS
CCSU will be looking to avenge a major loss to the Blackbirds from earlier in the season. The Blue Devils came to the Steinberg Center with a perfect 6-0 record in league play, but were beaten by the Blackbirds, 3-1. Since then, CCSU has dropped two more decisions, to Robert Morris at home (3-1), and at Bryant last weekend (3-1).
The Blue Devils continue to be one of the better blocking teams in the league, as they lead the NEC in blocks per set as a team (2.56). Four different players average 2.00 kills per set or more in CCSU's balanced attack, while junior Maddie Smith (1.23 blocks per set) and senior Brooke Schwab (1.14 blocks per set) continue to shut down opposing hitters at the net.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds return home to the Steinberg Wellness Center for the final NEC home weekend of the regular season. LIU will host Saint Francis U., Saturday, November 12 at 1 p.m., and rival Robert Morris, Sunday, November 11 at 3 p.m.