RIVERDALE, N.Y. – After defeating Fairfield and Quinnipiac in its first two home Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) matches of the season last weekend, the ManhattanCollege volleyball team hits the road again this weekend. The Jaspers (10-7, 4-1 MAAC) make their annual trek to Western New York for matchups with Niagara (1-15, 0-5 MAAC) and Canisius (5-11, 3-2 MAAC). Manhattan takes on Niagara at 1 p.m. on Sunday, followed by a 1 p.m. tilt against Canisius on Sunday.
The Jaspers enter the weekend tied for second in the MAAC standings, just one half-game behind first-place Siena, which is off this weekend. Manhattan is one of four MAAC teams with a single conference loss. Junior Malia McGuinness (Kailua, Hawaii) notches 2.52 kills per set, while sophomore Sydney Volovski (Oswego, Ill.) tallies 2.35 kills per set. Sophomore Teodora Peric (Chicago, Ill.) hands out 7.39 assists per set, and junior Anna Kitlar (Kiel, Germany) paces the Jaspers with 0.80 blocks per set. Freshman Allie Yamashiro (Kapolei, Hawaii) ranks fourth in the MAAC with 4.52 digs per set.
Niagara has dropped three straight since picking up its lone win over DelawareState. The Purple Eagles are still looking for their first MAAC victory of the season. Junior Amanda Sedore leads Niagara with 2.58 kills per set. Freshman Emily Hopkins distributes 6.87 assists per set, while junior Allison Reis tallies a team-best 3.70 digs per set. Sophomore Melissa McGwin ranks third in the MAAC in blocks, averaging 1.08 per set.
Canisius snapped a two-match losing streak with that victory over Niagara on Wednesday night and has won three of its last five. The Griffs host Iona on Saturday. Senior Emily Elek is the team leader in kills with an average of 2.34 per set, while freshman Jacklyn Malusa adds 2.19 kills per set. Senior Sydney Palka and sophomore Grace Streicher share the setting duties. Palka dishes out 4.97 assists per set, and Streicher contributes 4.34 assists per set. Junior Emily Litwin is third in the MAAC in digs, averaging 4.56 per set. Junior Roxanne Hernandez, meanwhile, leads the league with 1.12 blocks per set.
Manhattan swept the season series with Niagara, including a dramatic five-set victory at the Gallagher Center, in 2012, while Canisius has won three straight against the Jaspers.
