BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The LIU Brooklyn Volleyball team hits the road to Pennsylvania to open the month of October with a pair of contests against Saint Francis U and Robert Morris. The Blackbirds will take on the Red Flash on Friday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m. and the Colonials on Saturday October 6 at 5:00 p.m.
BLACKBIRD OUTLOOK
LIU picked up a pair of four-set wins this past weekend, defeating Bryant and CCSU to start the home portion of its NEC slate. The Blackbirds recorded 76 digs against the league leading Bulldog offense and held them to a .167 hitting percentage on the way to the Friday night win.
The Blue Devils stormed out to a convincing opening set before LIU rallied with back-to-back 18 kill showings in the second and third set before sealing the match in the fourth for the 4-0 conference start. It is the first 4-0 start to league play for the Blackbirds since the 2014 season.
LIU REPRESENTED WITH WEEKLY HONORS
Senior Viktoria Fink and junior Natalia Rivera were named Molten/NEC Co-Player of the Week and NEC Defensive Player of the Week for their standout play this past weekend.
Fink averaged 4.35 kills per set and a .310 hitting percentage on her way to her first weekly honor of the season and the fifth NEC weekly honor of her career. She recorded 15 kills and seven digs on Friday night against Bryant before registering 20 kills against the Blue Devils on Saturday. She ranks fourth in the NEC with 3.20 digs per set on the season.
Rivera tallied her second defensive player of the week honor of the season and eighth of her career. She posted a 7.75 digs per set average in the pair of wins at home. Rivera tied her season-high with 33 digs against the Bulldogs offense that leads the league in kills at 13.40 per set. She followed that up with 29 digs in the four-set win over the Blue Devils on Saturday. Rivera leads the NEC with 5.35 digs per set on the year and ranks 23rd in the NCAA.
SCOUTING SAINT FRANCIS
The Red Flash enter Friday's contest 2-14, 1-2 NEC after picking up a 3-1 win over Robert Morris last time out. Madi Tyus, the reigning NEC Rookie of The Week paces the Saint Francis attack with 3.39 kills per set average that ranks third in the NEC. She leads the conference in attacks per set at 10.63. Defensively, Jess Barrett leads the team with 4.03 digs per set and Daysha Shamlin leads up front with a 1.05 blocks per set mark. The Blackbirds won both of last season's meetings in straight sets over the Red Flash.
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS
The Colonials come into the weekend 6-11 overall and in search of their first NEC victory with an 0-3 start. It is the first home weekend of league play for RMU, hosting St. Francis Brooklyn on Friday before the Blackbirds take the court on Saturday afternoon. Offensively, Emma Granger leads the way with a 2.51 kills per set average and .277 hitting percentage. She also ranks third in the NEC with 22 service aces on the season. Whitney Brown is second among league leaders in assists with 8.06 assists per set. LIU held a 2-1 advantage in three meetings last season including a 3-1 victory in the NEC Semifinals at the Steinberg Center.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds have just one game one the docket for next weekend with the annual Dig Pink game at the Steinberg Center. LIU will host St. Francis Brooklyn on Friday, October 14 at 4:00 p.m.