Manhattan-Rider: Live Stats | Video
Manhattan-Saint Peter's: Video
RIVERDALE, NY – After sweeping Fairleigh Dickinson at Draddy Gymnasium on Wednesday night, the Manhattan College volleyball team hits the road again this weekend for a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) matches. The Jaspers (6-16, 2-6 MAAC) visit Rider (9-11, 3-5 MAAC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday before heading to Saint Peter's (0-14, 0-7 MAAC) for a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday.
THE JASPERS
Wednesday night's win over Fairleigh Dickinson snapped a four-match losing streak for the Jaspers. Senior Ivana Kostic (Grocka, Serbia) ranks third in the league with a .285 hitting percentage, and her 0.67 blocks per set are also the most on the squad. Senior Milena Janjusevic (Belgrade, Serbia) averages a team-leading 2.73 kills per set to go along with 2.52 digs per frame, second-most on the squad. Senior Allie Yamashiro (Kapolei, HI) paces Manhattan with 4.31 digs per set. Sophomore Zoe Lindsey (McHenry, IL), meanwhile, is second in the MAAC with 8.80 assists per set.
THE BRONCS
Rider has alternated wins and losses over its last seven contests, six of which were on the road. Sophomore Hailey Riede paces the Broncs with 2.57 kills per set, and she ranks fourth in the MAAC with a .284 hitting percentage. Junior Veronica Koval leads the MAAC in service aces (0.46 per set) and also distributes 8.43 assists per set, third-most in the conference. Freshman Evelyn Shanefield is fifth in the league in blocks (0.87 per set), while junior Emma Aldaya records a team-high 4.19 digs per set.
THE PEACOCKS
Saint Peter's is still looking for its first victory of the season. The Peacocks face Iona on Saturday before taking on the Jaspers. Sophomore Marlena Budna ranks second in the MAAC with 1.16 blocks per set. She's also the team leader in kills (2.00 per set) and hitting percentage (.243). Freshman Carolina Ruiz paces Saint Peter's with 2.82 digs per set, while senior Amanda Colombo contributes 1.75 kills and 2.16 digs per set. Junior Kaitlyn Sitton, meanwhile, hands out a squad-best 3.58 assists per set.
LAST MEETING
The Jaspers posted a 3-0 victory over Rider at Draddy Gymnasium on Sept. 28 and have won three straight against the Broncs overall. Manhattan has beaten Saint Peter's 12 consecutive times, including both meetings in 2015. The Jaspers knocked off the Peacocks 3-0 in Riverdale and 3-1 in Jersey City last season.
LAST TIME OUT
Manhattan snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-0 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday night. After dropping a 3-1 decision at Marist last Saturday, Rider rebounded to post a five-set triumph at Siena on Sunday. Saint Peter's fell 3-0 to both the Saints and Red Foxes last weekend.
HEAD COACH MARK JONES
Mark Jones is in his eighth season as Manhattan's head coach. The 2010 MAAC Coach of the Year, he's the second-winningest coach in program history. Jones has a career record of 126-121 and is just six wins away from matching Pete Volkert's all-time mark of 132 victories. He has led the Jaspers to three straight 20-win seasons (four overall).
TOP 25 VOTER
Head Coach Mark Jones was recently named a voter in AVCA Coaches Poll. He is one of 64 selectors (two from each conference) responsible for choosing the weekly top 25. Jones was also appointed to the All-Region committee.
UP NEXT
Sunday's contest is the first of back-to-back meetings with Saint Peter's. The Jaspers and Peacocks will play again at Draddy Gymnasium on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before hosting Quinnipiac and Fairfield next weekend.
