POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 8, 2016) – The Vassar College women's volleyball team looks to continue their momentum from their last few matches into this weekend's Vassar Invitational in Poughkeepsie, NY. Although Vassar remains winless on the season, they have improved in every contest thus far, including taking two high quality opponents into the fifth set in their past two matchups.  

Game Details
Opponents: Purchase College (0-1), University of New England (1-2), University of Pittsburgh at Bradford (3-1), Alfred University (3-1) - Tournament Homepage
Links: (Purchase Home Page) (New England Home Page) (Pittsburgh Home Page) (Alfred Home Page)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility: Athletic Fitness Center
Date: September 9, 2016
Time: 4 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Date: September 10, 2016
Time: 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Video) (Live Stats Court 2)

Last Time Out: The Brewers lost in the fifth to the Ephs of Williams College in a back and forth battle of two evenly matched teams.  After winning the first set of the contest, Wiliams won the next two games handedly, winning by a combined score of 50-35.  The Brewers would respond by taking the next set 25-21 and led 11-8 in the final game, but Williams rallied to earn the final set 15-11. 

A Look At The Brewers:

• Vassar returns home for the first time this season looking to gain an advantage with their familiarity and comfort on the court in the Athletic & Fitness Center.
• The Brewers have been strong on attack thus far this season with 229 kills and 709 total attacks.  What has hurt them, however, has been their inconsistency.  With 109 errors, Vassar has 25 more than their opponents this year.
• Hitters Devan Gallagher and Jane McLeod have been a consistent offensive force as the two have 74 and 70.5 points respectively as well as 188 and 167 total attacks respectively.  Both players have a respectable .234 attack percentage.
• As a squad the Brewers have not been afraid to lay their bodies on the line as they have eight different players with over 20 digs to this point in the season.  
• Senior Sierra Tobin leads the team in digs thus far with 52, while her fantastic passing has been on display as well, posting just four receiving errors on 70 service attempts.
• Vassar remains second in the Liberty League in hitting percentage with a .169 just behind the .176 from RIT.
• The five-set match against Williams was the second five-setter in a row for Vassar, following a 58-match drought in between their last two five-set matches.  

A Look At The Panthers:

• Purchase's only match thus far this season came against a familiar foe of Vassar's, as the Panthers dropped straight sets to the Raptors of Bard College.
• The Panthers are led offensively by Maura Gribbins, who leads the team with three kills in just four total attacks.
• Victoria Blum is the primary setter for Purchase with six assists on the season.
• The Panthers have been very mistake prone offensively with a attack percentage of -.171.

A Look At The Nor'Easters:

• The Nor'Easters come into this weekends action with a 1-2 record, having dropped both of their road contests and winning their only home matchup.
• New England has a well-balanced attack with seven different players having at least seven kills.
• The Nor'Easters average an impressive 13.6 points per set.
• Rene Roggenbuck and Grayson Szczepaniak lead the Nor'Easters upfront with a total of 36 kills and 14 blocks.

A Look At The Panthers:

• Pittsburgh at Bradford started their season strong, winning nine of their first ten sets on their way to three wins in their first four matches.  
• The Panthers have been very impressive from the service line with 2.79 aces per set.
• Defensively, the Panthers have been strong as well averaging 2.07 blocks per set and 17.29 digs per set.
• Kirsten Platz has been a dominant force for the Panthers with 45 kills, 19 more than any other player on the team, and nine service aces.

A Look At The Saxons:

• The Saxons got their season off to a hot start in the SUNY Cortland Tournament, winning their first three matches before finally falling in five sets to SUNY Cortland in their last match of the tournament.
• Alfred has been very strong defensively this year averaging an incredible 19.9 digs per set.  Elisabeth Estep and Amber Smith have been the leading forces in that aspect of the game with 95 and 81 digs. respectively.
• Amber Smith has also been the strongest offensive force for the Saxons with 86.5 points, 43.5 more than any other player on the team.
• The Saxons have played mostly mistake free volleyball thus far averaging less errors in service, receptions, and overall than their opponents.  

Against Purchse All-Time: Vassar is 2-0 all time against Purchase, winning in straight sets in both 2005 and 2009.

Against New England All-Time: Vassar is 1-0 against the Nor'Easters, taking a matchup with UNE last year in straight sets. 

Against Pittsburgh at Bradford All-Time: Vassar and Pittsburgh at Bradford have never competed against each other.

Against Alfred All-Time: Vassar and Alfred have never competed against each other.

Up Next: Vassar begins Liberty League action next weekend in Rochester, NY at the home of the Tigers of RIT.  The Brewers take on St. Lawrence University and Bard College on Friday, September 16, and Clarkson University and RIT on Saturday, September 17.  The Friday games are at 6 and 8 p.m. and Saturday's contests take place at 2 and 4 p.m.