POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 30, 2015) – The Vassar College men's volleyball (3-2) squad, who are coming off a thrilling five-set win over No. 10 New York University Thursday night, will head to Springfield, MA to take on another ranked opponent in No. 3 Springfield College. VC will also battle Elms College Saturday afternoon in non-conference play.

Game Details
Date: January 31, 2015
Opponent: No. 3 Springfield College (2-2)
Links: (Springfield Team Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Statistics)
Site: Springfield, MA
Facility: Blake Arena
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Twitter Coverage: (@VassarAthletics) (@VassarMensVB) (@SC_Pride)
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Game Details
Date: January 31, 2015
Opponent: Elms College (2-2)
Links: (Elms Team Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Statistics)
Site: Springfield, MA
Facility: Blake Arena
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Twitter Coverage: (@VassarAthletics) (@VassarMensVB) (@ElmsBlazers)
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
What To Look For
The Brewers will be taking on the Pride for the 40^th time in program history this weekend, and the all-time series has not been kind to Vassar College. The Brewers have not defeated Springfield since the 2002 season, a span of 23 matches. The Pride has dropped two matches thus far this season, but is coming off a three-set win over Emerson. The Brewers will need to be solid defensively against SC, which is hitting .296 on the season.
 
A Look At The Pride (2-2)
Springfield, which is currently ranked No. 3 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Coaches Top 15 Poll, fell in its first two matches of the season but has responded with two three-set wins. Springfield comes into the weekend with the second-most blocks per set in the nation, chalking up 3.36 per game, while also dishing out the seventh-most assists in Division III per game with 11.64. The offensive firepower for the Pride is solid as well, as its 12.21 kills a game rank 10^th nationally as of Friday morning.
 
Senior outside hitter Ryan Malone leads the team with 31 kills and a hitting rate of .222, while fellow senior outside hitter Angel Perez has totaled 31 terminations as well. Shaun Ermi leads the team with a .556 attacking percentage, while Sean Zuvich is 18^th in the country in blocks per set with 1.10. Setter Keaton Pieper is second to only Brendan Chang of MIT in assists per game with 11.00 a set, while right side Greg Woods added 2.50 kills per game for the Pride.
 
Projected Starters: Ryan Malone - OH, Jason Mascoe - MB, Keaton Pieper - S, Sean Zuvich - RS, Angel Perez - OH, Matthew Peretto - L.
 
Against Springfield All-Time
As stated before, the Brewers haven't fared well against the Pride, dropping 37 of the previous 39 matches. VC's victories came during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, though the Brewers took Springfield to five sets twice over their last three matches.
 
Previous Four Contests: Mar. 29, 2014 | Mar. 2, 2013 | Mar. 31, 2012 | Mar. 1, 2011
 
A Look At Elms College
The Blazers have started the season 2-2, dropping matches to D'Youville College and Nazareth College at the SUNYIT Tournament last weekend, defeating Mount Ida College and Bard College on Saturday of that same tournament. The Blazers enter the weekend in the nation's top 25 in blocks per set, rejecting 1.90 attacks per game, which leads the New England Collegiate Conference. Elms though hasn't gotten much production from its setters in terms of assists, as the Blazers come into the weekend 52^nd out of 54 teams in assists per set in the nation.
 
Elms is paced offensively by the 38 kills from freshman outside hitter Gabriel Reis Levy, while fellow freshman outside Daniel Bondarovsky has added 29 kills. Austin DeCosmo has 20 kills and has a team-high .286 hitting percentage, while Roger Conklin has chalked up 17 digs on the season. Dervin Dimanche has a team-leading 12 blocks, and Reis Levy paces the team in digs (20) and aces (5). Elms is hitting .130 on the season, but has held opposition to just a .105 hitting clip this year.
 
Projected Starters: Kevin Welsh – S, Gabriel Reis Levy – OH, Cristian Arroyo – MH, Dervin Dimanche – MH, Austin DeCosmo – MH, Daniel Bondarovsky, OH, Roger Conklin – L.
 
Against Elms All-Time
The two teams have only played four previous times, but the Brewers have earned victories in all four matches with the Blazers. Over the last three meetings, VC hasn't lost a set, with Elms pushing the series first matchup back in 2009 to five sets.
 
Previous Four Contests: Feb. 1, 2014 | Mar. 2, 2013 | Feb. 20, 2010 | Feb. 21, 2009
 
Big Win
Last night's win over No. 10 NYU was the first victory over a ranked opponent since the final win of the 2013 season. In that win, the Brewers knocked off the same Violet squad who were ranked, you guessed it, No. 10.
 
.500 or Better
Freshman Matthew Knigge (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) chalked up another 11 kills Thursday night, and now is sixth in the country in hitting percentage with a .537 attacking rate.
 
Ice-Berg
Junior middle hitter Erik Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum School) had only three attempts offensively Thursday night against NYU, but posted two huge blocks in the final moments of VC's five-set win over the Violets.
 
Puerto Rico, HEY
Freshman Jorge Rivera (San Juan, PR/Cupeyville) has stepped right in and led the Brewers in kills through the first five matches, posting 2.32 kills per set and 44 total terminations.
 
Strong In The Clutch
This season, Vassar College has going 4-1 in the third set, which is said by some to be the most important set in collegiate volleyball. In that game, VC is outscoring opposition 129-100.
 
Wide Receiver
The Brewers are receiving serve this year at a very strong .856 clip, posting jut 23 errors on the year.
 
Up Next
The Brewers open United Volleyball Conference action next Wednesday, February 4 at 7 p.m. in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, taking on Bard College.