2010 Schedule
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Manhattan College head volleyball coach Mark Jones unveiled the team's 2010 schedule today, and the 31-match campaign will begin with a trip to California in late August before ending at the MAAC Championships at Walt Disney World in mid-November. The Lady Jaspers will face four teams that played in the 2009 NCAA Tournament and host 10 matches at Draddy Gymnasium.
The Lady Jaspers open the season with a pair of matches at the Cal Molten Classic in Berkeley, Calif., on Aug. 28. Manhattan's first match of the day will be against perennial national power UC Santa Barbara, which won 22 matches and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 27th time last season. The Lady Jaspers then take on host California that night. The Golden Bears finished the 2009 season ranked eighth in the nation after losing to eventual National Champion Penn State in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
The following weekend, Manhattan returns to New York for the St. John's Classic. The Lady Jaspers and Red Storm square off on Friday, Sept. 3, then Manhattan faces Denver and St. Francis (NY) on Sept. 4. Manhattan concludes its preseason tournament schedule at the Bryant Invitational in Smithfield, R.I., on Sept. 10-11. The Lady Jaspers take on host Bryant on Sept. 10, and play Navy and Holy Cross the following day. Manhattan then returns to Rhode Island for a midweek matchup at Providence on Sept. 14.
After beginning the 18-match MAAC slate at Rider on Sept. 18, the Lady Jaspers open their home schedule against Saint Peter's on Sept. 19. Manhattan takes on Lafayette in its only home non-conference match on Sept. 22 before wrapping up September with three straight on the road. The Lady Jaspers visit conference rivals Fairfield (Sept. 25) and Iona (Sept. 26) before renewing the series with Columbia on Sept. 29. Manhattan and Columbia haven't met on the volleyball court since the 2007 season.
Defending MAAC champion Niagara visits Draddy Gymnasium on Oct. 2, then Canisius comes to Riverdale the following day. The Lady Jaspers take on their fourth opponent that made the 2009 NCAA Tournament when they make a midweek visit to Army on Oct. 6. After paying a visit to Siena on Oct. 9, Manhattan starts a three-match homestand against Loyola the following day. Last season, the Lady Jaspers posted a dramatic five-set victory over the Greyhounds at Draddy Gymnasium. Marist visits Riverdale on Oct. 16, then Manhattan concludes its homestand against Iona on Oct. 17.
The Lady Jaspers make their annual visit to Western New York on Oct. 23-24, visiting Canisius on Oct. 23 and Niagara on Oct. 24. Manhattan then concludes non-conference play with a matchup at Fairleigh Dickinson on Oct. 27. After wrapping up the season series with Marist on Oct. 30, the Lady Jaspers kick off another three-match homestand against Siena on Oct. 31. The Lady Jaspers host Fairfield on Nov. 6, then take on Rider in their final home match on Nov. 7. Manhattan concludes the regular season with matches at Saint Peter's (Nov. 13) and Loyola (Nov. 14).
This season's MAAC Volleyball Championships will be held at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., meaning all 10 schools will participate in the event for the first time since 2006. The MAAC Tournament will take place from Nov. 18-20, with the championship match scheduled to be televised by ESPNU.
Manhattan returns 11 letterwinners, including six starters, from last season's team. The Lady Jaspers also welcome three newcomers in 2010.
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