GAME DAY INFORMATION |
DATE: November 6, 2021
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LOCATION: Merkert Gymnasium - North Easton, Mass. |
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GAME DAY LINKS |
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS |
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THE LEAD
The New Haven women's volleyball team heads to Stonehill this afternoon for a battle between the top teams in the NE10, just one week before the end of the regular season. First serve from Merkert Gymnasium is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
SCOUTING THE CHARGERS (18-7, 8-2 NE10)
New Haven comes into the match look to rebound quickly from a five set loss to Southern Connecticut Thursday night. The Blue and Gold currently sit third in the conference standings with two games left on the docket after Saturday's meeting with the Skyhawks Senior outside Emily Barry (Freeport, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) has paced the Charger attack all season long, slamming 312 hammers, ahead of senior right-side Jessica Akiona (Kapolei, Hawaii/La Pietra- Hawaii School for Girls) with 306 and freshman outside Macy Brown (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) with 297. Freshman setter Sophia Leon-Tabor (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers) has hit the ground running her rookie season, as she has already tossed out 974 helpers, and will look to eclipse the 1,000-assist plateau this weekend. Defensively, libero Rilee Jessee (Edinburgh, Ind,/Columbus East) has corralled 390 digs this season to lead the New Haven defense, followed by Barry's 325, and Brown's 297. Senior middle Asiya Way (Denver, Colo./Denver East) continues to lead the efforts at the tape, with 63 blocks on the year 2021, ahead of sophomore middle Emily Smith (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay) with 46 and Akiona with 42.
SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS (20-6, 10-1 NE10)
Stonehill enters Saturday looking for their seventh straight victory after taking down Bentley in four sets Friday night. Abby Remick leads the team with 288 kills this season, followed by Basia Peragine with 280 and Shannon Burgess with 185. Setting them up all year has been Lauren Wilke who has dished out 728 assists this season, while Carly Russell leads the team in service aces with 31. Russell also leads the Skyhawks in digs with 449, and Burgess leads the defense at the net with 65 total blocks on the year, ahead of Clare Feeman with 58.
BLUE AND GOLD REGIONAL RANKED IN INITIAL RELEASE
On Nov. 3 the NCAA released its initial rankings of the top-10 team in each region leading up to the National Tournament, which begins on Dec. 2. The Chargers placed fourth in the poll behind a pair of other NE10 teams in No. 1 Stonehill (18-6, 18-2 in region) and American International (21-6, 19-3 in region) and the ECC's Holy Family (19-3, 19-3 in region). Four other NE10 opponents makeup the top ten in the East, with Jefferson and Daemen rounding out the group for the ECC. The winner of the conference tournaments for the NE10, ECC, and CACC all earn automatic spots in the tournament, with the final five teams getting in with an at-large bid.
Brown Double Dips on Weekly NE10 Awards
The freshman outside has been a dual threat all season long, and she was recognized for the second time this season by the conference, this time earning both NE10 Rookie and Player of the Week honors. The award comes following a 2-0 week for the Chargers where Brown hammered 37 kills across the two matches in addition to 33 digs.
Akiona Hitting Clinic Leads to NE10 Player of the Week Accolades
Akiona became the second player in as many weeks to earn weekly accolades from the NE10, as she was named conference Player of the Week on Oct. 5. In a 3-0 week for the Blue and Gold, she drilled 44 kills for a .362 hitting percentage, committing just 10 errors in 94 attempts while also adding 32 digs and seven blocks defensively.
LEON TABOR DOUBLES UP CONFERENCE HONORS TO CLOSE SEPTEMBER
The Chargers' rookie setter earned not one, but two conference honors, as she was named NE10 Rookie and Setter of the Week on Sept. 28. Leon-Tabor led her squad to a 2-0 week, tallying 80 assists (11.43/set), 20 digs and a pair of blocks.
AKIONA, LEON-TABOR EARN ALL-TOURNAMENT NODS AT WESLEYAN
Following the conclusion of the tournament, both Akiona and Leon-Tabor earned spots on all-tournament teams. Akiona finished the weekend with 45 kills, along with 19 digs and nine total blocks, earning a first-team all-tournament nod, while Leon-Tabor's 98 assists and 26 digs nabbed her a spot as a second-
team all-tournament honoree.
BROWN NABS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK HONORS IN COLLEGIATE DEBUT
With 50 kills last weekend, including 26 in her collegiate debut Brown was named Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week honors in Week one of the 2021 volleyball season. The 26 kills from Brown are the most by a player at New Haven since Sept. 24, 2011, when Keidy Candelaria matched that number against Franklin Pierce
BARRY, AKIONA NAMED TO ALL-TOURNEY TEAM IN OPENING WEEKEND
Barry and Akiona were both named to the first-team all-tournament roster at the Tony Banner Memorial Tournament last weekend. Barry totaled 53 kills, 53 digs, 6 assists, and three solo blocks across the four matches, while Akiona tallied 50 kills, 12 digs, and five block assists.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
If you haven't visited North Campus recently you haven't seen the construction taking place adjacent to Charger Gymnasium. The site is the future home of the Peterson Performance Center, a state-of-the-art facility that will house strength and condition, sports medicine, a new football locker room and meetings space with the ability to be tailored for the many different needs of all 18 varsity Charger athletic teams. The entire facility will measure 7,000 square feet and house 20 Olympic style weightlifting racks and a 60-yard turf agility and conditioning area. To learn more visit ChargerAthleticsFund.com.
NEXT ON TAP
The Chargers return to play Tuesday, making their final road trip of the regular season with a trip back up to the Bay State to take on Assumption. First serve from Laska Gymnasium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
