BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The LIU Brooklyn volleyball team hosts the 2018 Northeast Conference Tournament this weekend at the Steinberg Center as the regular season champions and top seed in the tournament.
The Blackbirds (15-8, 12-2 NEC), the two-time defending NEC Champions will open the weekend against No. 4 seed Sacred Heart at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, November 16. The second matchup of the day features No. 2 seed Bryant against No. 3 seed CCSU at 6:00 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday, November 17 at 1:00 p.m.
TICKETS
Tickets will be available the day of the event at the Steinberg Center. Ticket prices are $6 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and children between the ages of 11-18. Children under age 11 and NEC Students with an institutional I.D. will be admitted free.
BLACKBIRD OUTLOOK
LIU ended the regular season 15-8 and 12-2 NEC record that earned them their third straight regular season title and the 11th in program history. The Blackbirds have hosted the NEC Tournament at the Steinberg Center seven of the last eight seasons.
The team has had a standout season defensively, leading the NEC in digs per set (16.78) all season. LIU has also held the opposition to a league-low .162 hitting percentage on the year, a mark that ranks 26th in the nation. The Blackbirds have racked up 2.30 blocks per set that is second in the NEC behind CCSU. Offensively, the team sits third in the conference behind Bryant and Sacred Heart with a 12.57 kills per set average.
Senior Viktoria Fink ranks third in the NEC with 3.36 kills per set. Sophomore Piper Matsumoto (6th-7.13) and junior Amanda Hubbard (7th-6.24) rank among the league leaders in assists. Junior Filippa Hansson ranks among the top hitters in the conference (4th-.294). Junior libero Natalia Rivera leads the NEC and ranks 16th in the NCAA with 5.48 digs per set on the year.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
No. 4 Sacred Heart
The Pioneers are back in the NEC Tournament after recording a 9-5 mark in NEC competition and a 16-9 record overall. Offensively, Sacred Heart is led by junior outside hitter Liisel Nelis who paces the circuit with a 3.82 kills per set mark. Five-time NEC Rookie of the Week, Sarah Ciszek also leads the NEC in hitting percentage (.336) and assists (9.27).
As a team, Sacred Heart leads the conference with 1.49 aces per set. The Pioneers also rank second in both assists (11.98) and kills (13.00) per set on the season.
LIU claimed both meetings this season with a 3-0 sweep in Fairfield followed by a five-set thriller at the Steinberg Center. The Blackbirds lead the all-time series 33-6 and have won the last three meetings.
SHU joins LIU as the two programs that have earned NEC Titles; coach Rob Machan in his 13th season has won two NEC Championships at the helm of the Pioneers program.
No. 3 CCSU
The Blue Devils make their third straight appearance in the NEC Tournament after finishing the regular season with a 10-4 record in NEC play and 13-12 mark overall.
CCSU leads the NEC in both hitting percentage (.200) and blocks per set (2.53), and total team blocks (228.0) on the year. Madelyn Kaprelyn leads the NEC and is fourth in the nation with four triple-doubles on the season has been the Blue Devils top standout. Gala Galabova paces the NEC with a 1.26 block per set average.
The home team captured the victory in the two meetings this season with the Blackbirds getting a 3-1 win at home before the Blue Devils took a 3-1 win to end the regular season. All-time, LIU leads the matchup 31-10 over CCSU, both teams squared off in the tournament final a season ago.
No. 2 Bryant
The Bulldogs return to the NEC Tournament for the fourth straight year, concluding the regular season 10-4 in NEC play and 20-12 overall.
Bryant has consistently been the leagues top team in kills per set this season with a 13.55 kills per set average. They also pace the league with 12.67 assists per set. The Bulldogs feature three players in the NEC top-10 in kills per set with Julia Flynn leading the way with 3.21 kills per set. Kristen Sperry also ranks among league leaders in assists per set with a 7.51 average.
LIU swept the season series with a 3-1 win at the Steinberg Center before taking a 3-2 win at Bryant last weekend to earn the regular season title and right to home-court advantage this weekend. The Blackbirds lead the all-time series between both schools 16-4 and have won the last three meetings overall.
UP NEXT
The 2018 NEC Championship game will take place at the Steinberg Center, Saturday, November 17. Game time is slated for 3:00 p.m.