POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 23, 2017) – The No. 4 ranked Vassar College men's volleyball team (18-6) will resume its season after a 13-day hiatus with a trip south to Washington, DC before finishing the trip in Huntingdon, PA with a pair of contests Saturday at Juniata. Vassar is coming off two huge wins back on Saturday, March 11, knocking off Nazareth College and New York University to control its fate to host the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) playoffs.
 
Game Details
Opponent: at Marymount University (15-6)
Links: (Marymount University Home Page)(Roster)(Schedule)(Statistics)
Site: Arlington, VA
Facility: Verizon Sports Arena
Date: March 24, 2017
Time: 6 p.m.
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)

Opponent: vs. Arcadia University (10-14)
Links: (Arcadia University Home Page)(Roster)(Schedule)(Statistics)
Opponent: at Juniata College (13-9)
Links: (Juniata College Home Page)(Roster)(Schedule)(Statistics)
Site: Huntingdon, PA
Facility: Memorial Gymnasium
Date: March 25, 2017
Time: 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Last Time Out: The Brewers put themselves in position to host the UVC Tournament for the first time ever back on March 11, knocking off both Nazareth College and NYU, both in four games. Vassar has now won its last six matches, and also was earned wins in 12 of its last 13 outings. In that tri-match, both Christian Lizana and Matthew Knigge were amazing, combining on 26 kills in a pivotal win over NYU. In fact, Vassar finished with a 25-11 win in the fourth game, hitting .526 in the set to earn the match.
 
A Look At The No. 4 Brewers (18-6)

 

• Vassar has now won six matches in a row twice this season, which is the first time in a season that VC has posted two win streaks of that length since the 2008 season when the Brewers made the national title match.
• Junior Matthew Knigge currently leads the nation in blocks per set with 1.40 rejections per game, while VC leads the nation as well in blocking at 2.66 blocks a set.
• Junior setter Zechariah Lee is 24^th in the nation in assists per set with 9.09, and ranks 16^th in the nation in blocks per set with 0.94.
• Senior libero Trey Cimorelli has continued his strong career, as he leads the UVC and is 19^th nationally in digs per game with 2.81.
• Christian Lizana earned his first UVC Player of the Week performance two Mondays ago thanks to his play against Marymount, Nazareth and NYU, helping VC go 3-0.
• Knigge is hitting .399 on the season, which ranks 11^th in the country.
• Vassar's win streak of six is the eighth-longest in the nation right now, as Springfield has rattled off 22 straight to lead the list.
• The Brewers have played the third-hardest schedule this season in the nation, as teams have posted a .660 winning percentage.
• The UVC as a conference has been great, totaling the most total victories of any men's volleyball league in Division III with 99. The next closest league is the Skyline Conference with 65.
• Knigge's 10 blocks against Stevens were the second-most by any player in a single four-set match this season in Division III.
• With his 18 wins this season, first-year head coach Richard Gary has won 65 career matches when combined with his wins from Wells College. If you add his women's wins as well at Wells, Gary has won 104 total matches as a head coach.
• Vassar four-set win over Stevenson posted the second-highest attack percentage in a four-set match of any team this year, as VC hit .414.
• The Brewers currently have five players with 100 or more kills on the season.
• Vassar's No. 4 ranking is the highest Vassar has been ranked February 17, 2009 when the Brewers were No. 3.  

 
A Look At The No. 11 Saints (15-6)

 

• The Saints currently are currently leading the Continental Volleyball Conference with a 9-1 record.
• TJ Wiechecki leads the CVC in kills per set with 4.23 and also is third nationally in that category.
• Setter Erich Bratke is 16^th in the country with 9.52 assists per set, while ranking second in the CVC.
• The Saints are ranked first in their conference and 12^th in Division III in hitting percentage with a .259 clip.
• Marymount has won three straight matches, coming off a 3-2 win over No. 8 Eastern Mennonite on March 22.
• The Saints have played well at Verizon Sports Arena, going 9-1 at home with the only loss coming to Mount St. Joseph January 28 in five sets.
• Marymount is just one of three teams since the end of January to take a set off of No. 1 Springfield College.
• The Saints have won nine of their last 12 matches, including picking up wins in their previous seven home affairs.

A Look At The Knights (10-14):
 

• The Knights are in their first season as an NCAA recognized program, transitioning from club status this year.
• The squad hasn't suffered a learning curve at all, as Arcadia has 10 wins on the season.
• Arcadia blocks very well, as evidenced by its No. 6 ranking in the NCAA stat listing, posting 2.30 rejections per set.
• Austin Braas and Robie Macrezuma pace the blocking efforts, as the pair have chalked up 0.91 and 0.90 blocks per game, respectively.
• Jason Manley leads the way offensively for the Knights, as he has posted a team-best 233 kills with a .180 hitting percentage.
• Braas has been effective at the net with a .360 attack rate, while adding 170 terminations.
• Sean Cohen has been the main setting option for the Knights, as he has posted 571 assists on the year, while Alvyn Abraham has spelled Cohen and handed out 186 helpers.
• Zayne George has added 1.83 digs per set to lead the team, while Manley and Bryce Galloway each have over 100 digs on the year.

 
A Look At The No. 15 Eagles (13-9):
 

• Juniata is coming off a pair of 3-0 wins its last few times out, knocking off York (NY) and Thiel in straight sets.
• The Eagles are in third place in the CVC this season, trailing Marymount and EMU in the conference standings.
• Kyle Seeley is fourth in the nation and first among CVC players in hitting percentage with a .422 attacking percentage, while adding 2.59 kills a game.
• Seeley also ranks 22^nd nationally in blocking with 0.91 rejections a set.
• Freshman Michael Young has handed out 9.35 assists per game, which is fourth in the CVC and 19^th in the country.
• Quinn Peterson is 11^th in the country in kills per set with 3.75 terminations a game, hitting .226 on the year.
• Chris Heron adds 2.44 digs a game for the Eagles, while Matt Vasinko also helps out defensively with 1.68 digs a set.
• Juniata is 16^th in the country and second in its conference in hitting percentage, swinging at a .252 rate.

 
Up Next: Vassar will head to arch rival New Paltz Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. in the Hawk Center for one of the most anticipated matches of the Division III season against the No. 2 Hawks.