RIVERDALE, N.Y. - After splitting its matches during the first weekend of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play, the Manhattan College volleyball team (5-7, 1-1 MAAC) returns to Draddy Gymnasium on Saturday for its first home conference weekend. The Lady Jaspers host Niagara (8-5, 1-1 MAAC) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, then concludes a span where four of five matches were at home when Canisius (4-8, 1-1 MAAC) visits at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Lady Jaspers began MAAC play with a five-set home win over Rider last Saturday, then fell in five sets at Saint Peter's on Sunday. Diane Strutner (San Jose, Calif.) paces Manhattan with 2.42 kills per set and ranks second on the squad with 3.31 digs per set. Jaci Rahey (West Milford, N.J.) averages 2.33 kills per set, while Rita Welsh (Collegeville, Pa.) slams 2.08 kills per set and is hitting .275. Welsh also leads the Lady Jaspers with 0.96 blocks per set. Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.) averages a team-high 3.71 digs per set and Laura Bellotti (Dix Hills, N.Y.) contributes 6.27 assists per set. Following Sunday's match, Manhattan hits the road for seven of its next eight.
Niagara opened its MAAC schedule with a four-set loss to Fairfield before defeating Iona in four sets on Sunday. The Purple Eagles have more overall wins than any other MAAC team. Kari Honomichl and Hannah Hedrick lead the Purple Eagles offensively. Honomichl averages more kills per set (3.83), while Hedrick has recorded more total kills (171). Hedrick is second on the squad in both kills per set (3.64) and digs per set (4.00). Sam Morgan leads the team and ranks second in the MAAC with 5.68 digs per set. Michelle James, last season's MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year and a Preseason First Team All-MAAC selection, is the only setter in the conference averaging more than 10 assists per set. She dishes out a MAAC-best 10.69 assists per set.
Canisius also split during the first weekend of conference play. The Griffs also defeated Iona and fell to Fairfield last weekend. Michelle Godfrey paces Canisius with 2.67 kills and 0.98 blocks per set. She ranks third in the MAAC with a hitting percentage of .301. Renee Lettow has tallied over 100 kills and 100 digs this season. Lettow is second on the team in both categories, averaging 2.44 kills and 2.35 digs per set. Allyson Severn averages a conference-high 5.79 digs per set. Janelle Davis distributes 8.40 assists per set. The Griffs visit Saint Peter's on Saturday before heading to Riverdale on Sunday.
The Lady Jaspers swept Niagara last season and have won three straight against the Purple Eagles. After losing last season's first meeting against Canisius in Buffalo, Manhattan swept the Griffs at Draddy Gymnasium in the rematch. Both matches this weekend will be webcast live at www.gojaspers.com as a part of the JasperVision package.
