POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 20, 2016) – The Vassar College women's volleyball team will head to Schenectady, NY and Saratoga Springs, NY this weekend for four hugely important Liberty League matchups to determine its seeding in the Liberty League Tournament. Vassar has clinched a spot in the postseason tournament, but can still host the event depending on its finish to the conference slate this weekend.
 
Game Details
Opponents: Union College (17-10, 4-4 Liberty)
Links: (Union Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats)
Time: 4 p.m.
Opponents: St. Lawrence University (10-15, 1-7 Liberty)
Links: (St. Lawrence Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats)
Time: 6 p.m.
Site: Schenectady, NY
Facility: Viniar Athletic Center
Date: October 21, 2016
Game Coverage: (Live Video) (Live Stats)
 
Game Details
Opponents: Clarkson University (17-8, 7-1 Liberty)
Links: (Clarkson Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats)
Time: 2 p.m.
Opponents: Skidmore College (10-15, 1-7 Liberty)
Links: (Skidmore Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Stats)
Time: 4 p.m.
Site: Saratoga Springs, NY
Facility: Williamson Sports Center
Date: October 22, 2016
 
Last Time Out: Vassar will have been off for nearly eight days when the first serve is in the air on Friday, as the Brewers defeated The Sage Colleges last Thursday night in three sets. Sophomore Devan Gallagher led all hitters with 14 kills, while Alex Sams posted a career-best 11 terminations in the 25-12, 25-20 and 25-15 win.
 
A Look At The Brewers (16-7, 7-1 Liberty League)
 

• Vassar has won its last two matches and has been winners in nine of the last 10 matches it has played.
• The Brewers can clinch the top seed in the Liberty League Tournament with by going undefeated this weekend, or by going 3-1 with a win over Clarkson University.
• Vassar leads all Liberty League teams in hitting with a .227 attacking percentage, while its kills per set is also first (12.67).
• No team posts as many service aces per set as the Brewers, as VC comes into the weekend with 2.51 aces per game.
• On the other hand, Vassar's service receive has been stellar as well, as VC allows the second-fewest aces per set of any team in the conference.
• Vassar sophomore Devan Gallagher is second in the conference in hitting percentage with a .308 rate, chalking up 270 kills to date.
• Freshman Jane McLeod is second in the Liberty League in kills per set with 3.59, and has teamed with Gallagher for the highest scoring duo in the conference.
• Sophomore Annie MacMillan leads the conference in assists per set with 10.26, over an entire helper more than the next best person at 9.24.
• Excluding RIT kill warrior Sarah Syzbist, McLeod has the second-most kills in a three-setter this year in the conference with 18 against Alfred.
• In the recently released NCAA Regional Rankings, Vassar sits in the No. 6 position.
• Senior Sierra Tobin leads the Brewers with 277 digs.

 
A Look At This Weekend's Opponents:  
 

• Union College comes into the weekend 17-10, but has dropped its last two matches, falling to Franklin and Marshall and Muhlenberg, both in straight sets last weekend.
• The Dutchwomen are fourth in hitting percentage in the conference, ranking first in total digs with 1,733. Katherine Moeller is second in the conference with 5.86 digs per set.
• Morgan Clark is the leading hitter for UC, posting a .301 hitting clip, while Ally Vandoren has 322 kills as well for Union.
• St. Lawrence has been playing well lately, having won its last two matches, while taking both RIT and Skidmore to five games before falling back on October 8.
• SLU has a solid blocking core, leading the conference with 1.84 rejections per set. The Saints also hit .168 as a team, fifth-best in the Liberty League.
• Amanda Teppo has a team-leading .237 hitting clip for SLU, while Masha Kolesnikova is sixth in the League with 2.91 kills per set.
• Clarkson is currently ranked No. 3 in the New York region, having dropped its last four matches though two were to No. 1 Calvin and No. 5 Hope College.
• Rachel Aird and Rachel Reusch have led the offense for CU, as Reusch leads the conference in hitting percentage and Aird is third in total kills.
• Setter Jillian Saenz is second in the conference in assists per set with 9.24, while Kate Isaksen has a conference-leading 6.06 digs a game. Clarkson's defense has been strong, holding teams to a conference-low .143 rate.
• Skidmore is a very scrappy bunch that has pushed teams all season long, as it fights for a playoff spot at 3-5. The Thoroughbreds have hit .152 on the year, sixth-best in the conference, but have held teams to a .158 attacking percentage.
• The Thoroughbreds are only 1-3 at home this year, but will lean on the offense of Caite Canfield (2.57 kills per set) and Katy Ehnstrom (.274%).
• Libero Marcela Familiar is third in the conference digs per game for Skidmore with 5.68, while Ehnstrom has 0.88 blocks a game, second-most among Liberty League players.
• Skidmore has alternated its last four matches, having last defeated Plattsburgh State October 18 in five sets.

 
Against These Teams All-Time: The Brewers are 39-14 all-time against the Dutchwomen of Union College, and VC has earned wins in two of the last three meetings. VC started its series with St. Lawrence in 1993 and has a 19-8 all-time mark against the Saints with the team's splitting the last six matches. Vassar is 12-15 against Clarkson all-time, earning the lone matchup earlier in the season. VC is 37-19 against Skidmore since 1988, as Vassar has earned six of the last seven outings with the Thoroughbreds.
 
Up Next: Vassar will travel to New Paltz on Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. for the final regular season road contest of the 2016 season.