POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 5, 2016) – The No. 10 Vassar College men's volleyball team, winners in its last two matches, heads to Newton, MA to take on Mount Ida College and Newbury College this Saturday afternoon in non-conference action. The Brewers were untested on Wednesday evening against Purchase College, rolling to a 25-6, 25-10 and 25-18 win over the Panthers. Vassar College is currently 5-1 on the season, and its only loss came to top-ranked Springfield College in four games last Saturday.

Game Details
Opponent: vs. Newbury College
Links:
(Vassar's Men's Volleyball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
(Newbury Men's Volleyball Home Pages) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Newton, MA
Facility: Mount Ida Athletic Center
Date: February 6, 2016
Time: 1 p.m.
Coverage: (Live Video)

Opponent: vs. Mount Ida College
Links:
(Vassar's Men's Volleyball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
(Purchase Men's Volleyball Home Pages) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Newton, MA
Facility: Mount Ida Athletic Center
Date: February 6, 2016
Time: 3 p.m.
Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)

What To Look For
The Brewers will have an offensive advantage this Saturday afternoon against both Newbury and Mount Ida, but VC will have to watch out for a pair of solid hitters in Peter Griffenkranz (IDA) and Wade Robidoux (Newbury). If Vassar College can neutralize these hitters for both teams on Saturday, it could be a huge impact in moving to 8-1 on the season. The 8-1 start to the season would be the best since 2003 when Vassar went 9-1 to open the campaign.

A Look At The Nighthawks (1-5)
Newbury has started slow this year, winning just once in it's six times out, though Newbury did knock of Emerson College in its last match 3-2. Before that, the Nighthawks had lost 15 of 16 sets on the year, and so far Newbury is 0-3 on the road. Newbury is fourth in the NECC in hitting percentage with a .183 hitting clip, while ranking fifth in kills per set with 9.33. This week's NECC Player of the Week, Wade Robidoux, leads the way for the Nighthawks with 65 kills this year, averaging 3.10 terminations a set. He is also hitting .410 on the year, while leading the team in total attempts with 110.

Joshua Thorne, another sophomore, is second on the team in kills with 40, while also helping in the back with 33 digs, second-best on the squad. Xavier Brown-Rose has averaged just fewer than two kills per set, adding 37 kills, while Khalil Page leads the squad with 12 blocks in the middle, adding 17 kills on the year. Luis Aranda has a team-best 151 assists this year, while also pacing the standings in digs with 38.

Against Newbury All-Time
Saturday's meeting with Newbury with be Vassar's sixth all-time, as the Brewers hold a 4-1 mark against the Nighthawks dating back to 2008. VC last battled the Nighthawks in 2012 at the Vassar Invitational, with VC taking a 3-1 victory that day.

A Look At The Mustangs (1-4)
Mount Ida plays host on Saturday, coming into the weekend with a 1-4 mark on the season, defeating only Lehman College last weekend at the Sage Colleges. Most recently, the Mustangs dropped a four-setter to Elms College in their home opener of the 2016 season. Mount Ida comes into Saturday's affairs with a .120 hitting percentage, though the serving for MIC has been strong, averaging 1.94 a set. The Mustangs are fifth in the GNAC in kills per set with 10.41, but their percentage sits at the bottom, thanks to 120 errors on the year, third-most in the conference.

Mount Ida has a strong group of outside hitters it will lean on, as Peter Griffenkranz leads the team with 2.71 kills per set and 46 total terminations. Senior James Ames has 42 finishes along with a team-high 32 digs, while Nate Gyampo has also added 27 kills as a freshman. Fellow newcomer TJ Nicholas has 27 kills and a team-high 10 assisted blocks, while Tyler Shinkle and his 11 total blocks are best on the team. Jimmy Wessel is the quarterback of the offense, handing out 102 assists, and Dennis Miranda has 26 digs as well. Michael McCullough comes in to serve and set, dishing out 52 helpers.

Against Mount Ida All-Time
Vassar has played the Mustangs once before, last year at the SUNY Poly Tournament. In that match, the Brewers earned a 3-0 victory.

A Ten, Ten!
Vassar College has moved up into the No. 10 spot in the AVCA Top 15 Division III Poll, the highest it has been ranked since April 3, 2013.

Down The Middle
Vassar has two of the top four hitters in Division III right now in the middle, sophomore Matthew Knigge (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) and freshman George Diehl (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh). Knigge leads the NCAA in hitting at .592, while Diehl is fourth in percentage with a .483 clip.

Delicious Dish
Setter Zechariah Lee (Santa Clarita, CA/Saugus) is eighth nationally in assists per set with 10.32, which ties for the UVC lead.

Halberg Times Two
Wednesday against Purchase, brothers and teammates Dan Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum) and Erik Halberg (Newark, DE/Salesianum) hooked on back-to-back kills to start the second set.

Balance
The Brewers had eight players with kills in Wednesday evening's win over the Panthers of Purchase, while only Reno Kriz (Breinigsville, PA/Parkland) was in double figure kills with 10.

Strong Starters
The Vassar College men's team this year has flown out of the gates, going 12-2 in the opening two sets of matches this year, losing just twice in the first or second sets. VC has outscored its opponents in the first set this year 171-123, bettering that slightly in the second, 172-122.

Strong Hands
Sophomore Zechariah Lee has chalked up just three ball-handling errors this season through seven matches, while opposition has already posted 15.

Negative Ghost Rider
The Brewers held Purchase to negative hitting Wednesday evening, the first time the Brewers have held a team to negative numbers this year. VC accomplished the feat six times last season in 2015.

Big Rob
Head coach Rob Wolter is approaching 75 wins for his Vassar College career, has he currently has a 73-59 record as head coach of the Brewers.

Up Next
Vassar College will open United Volleyball Conference action next Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. against defending NCAA Division III National Champions No. 7 Stevens Institute of Technology in Kenyon Hall.