WATCH (CCSU) | LIVE STATS (CCSU) | LIVE STATS (BRYANT)

LORETTO, PA- Saint Francis Volleyball embarks on their longest road trip of the conference season this weekend, traveling to Connecticut and Rhode Island for matches with the CCSU Blue Devils and the Bryant Bulldogs.
 
Saint Francis will take on the Blue Devils on Friday night with at 7 p.m. first serve and on Saturday against the Bulldogs at 5 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE RED FLASH
 
Saint Francis enters the weekend at 9-9 overall and 3-2 in the Northeast Conference. That makes this weekend a key one as CCSU enters the weekend at 10-6 and 3-2 in the NEC while Bryant leads the NEC at 14-8 overall and 5-0 in the NEC.
 
They are coming off of a split of the Brooklyn schools on their trip through New York City. Offensively, they are paced by their outside hitting seniors Kelsey Roush (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) and Emily Marcinowski (Strongsville, Ohio/Padua Franciscan). Roush is second in the Northeast Conference at 3.9 kills per set while Marcinowski ranks sixth at 3.25.
 
Defensively, the Flash have Sophia Esposito (Coraopolis, PA/Montour (Gardner-Webb)) manning the middle and she ranks second in the conference at just over a block per set. Jenna Veres (Independence, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) leads the team and the NEC with 5.67 digs per set. The Red Flash as a whole rank second in the NEC in hitting percentage and in kills, and will be going up against a stout CCSU defense on Friday that leads the NEC in opponent hitting percentage.
 
ABOUT THE BLUE DEVILS
 
The Blue Devils come into the match on Friday at 10-6 overall and 3-2 in the NEC, falling to Bryant and LIU Brooklyn but beating FDU, St. Francis Brooklyn and Sacred Heart. The Blue Devils have a very balanced offense with five players recording over 100 kills to date and four averaging over two kills per set. They also share the wealth between setters, with two averaging over five dimes per set.
 
Defensively, it's more of the same, five players average over two digs per set led by defensive specialist Lindsey Massicotte who averages nearly five digs per set. Maddie Smith leads the Conference in blocks at 1.41 per set. Collectively, the Blue Devils lead the NEC in opponent hitting percentage and in blocks.
 
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs lead the NEC at 14-8 overall and 5-0 in the NEC. They are coming off a come-from-behind win at Sacred Heart, erasing a two-set deficit and saving six match-points in the third set. Much like the Blue Devils, the Bulldogs have a balanced offense. While Julia Flynn leads the team with over three kills per set, four players have at least 150 kills on the season.
 
In NEC play, Bryant's calling card has also been defense, easily leading the NEC in opponent's hitting percentage, holding Northeast Conference teams to a paltry .118 hit percentage through five matches. That's led by the blocking duo of Grace Richmeyer and Ally Lundsford. Richmeyer leads the NEC in conference play at over 1.5 blocks per set while Lundsford checks in at just over one.
 
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Friday's match versus Central will be streamed on NEC Front Row and have live stats provided by CCSU, Saturday's match at Bryant will not be streamed and will only have live stats. Links are at the top of the story and are available on the volleyball schedule page.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Flash are back at home next weekend as the Brooklyn Schools make their return trip through western Pennsylvania. Saint Francis Brooklyn is up first next Friday night with a 7 p.m. first serve.