Flash Points:
- Saint Francis faces Princeton and NJIT this weekend.
- Both matches are set for 7 p.m.
- Live stats and video will be provided for both matches.
LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis men's volleyball team travels to Princeton and NJIT this weekend for a pair of EIVA matchups. Both matches are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Saint Francis, lead by head coach
Mike Rumbaugh, enters the weekend with a 4-6 overall record and is 0-1 in conference play after falling to No.13 Penn State last Friday in straight sets.
Michael Fisher (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley (Pepperdine)) led SFU with 18 kills, while
Jeff Hogan (Northern Cambria, Pa./Northern Cambria) contributed with 11.
FRESHMAN IMPACT
Fisher ranks second in the conference in kills per set (4.09) and kills (131). For his efforts against Long Beach State and Barton during the weekend of Jan. 27-28, Fisher was named Off the Block Freshman of the Week. The Mechanicsburg Pa. native currently sits in eighth nationally in attacks per set (8.34).
IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
Senior setter
Daniel Ford (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) ranks first in the EIVA in assists per set with 10.68, and fifth nationally. Against Penn State, Ford finished with a match-high 40 assists and averaged 13.33 assists per set.
BIG THREE
Fisher, Hogan and
Stephen Braswell (Manchester, Pa./Northeastern) all rank in the top-five in kills in the EIVA. Fisher leads the pack with 131, Hogan ranks fourth with 122 while Braswell has amassed 107. The trio has accounted for 360 kills or 73 percent of the team's kills. Hogan's 60 digs on the season ranks fifth in the EIVA.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
Princeton is 2-5 on the season and opens EIVA play against SFU. The Tigers made a trip to the west coast to face UCLA, UC-San Diego and Concorida last week, and fell in all three matches. Parker Dixon's 58 kills lead the Tigers' offensive attack, while Kendall Ratter is the conference leader in hitting percentage (.339), and service aces per set (0.55). On the defensive side, Greg Luck leads Princeton with 34 digs, while Junior Oboh leads the squad with 18 total blocks and ranks fifth in the EIVA in blocks per set (0.87).
ABOUT THE HIGHLANDERS
New Jersey Institute Technology comes into the weekend with a 4-4 mark. NJIT hosts PSU to open EIVA competition on Friday. The Highlanders fell to Fort Wayne in straight sets and bounced back to defeat Rutgers-Newark, 3-0, last weekend. The Highlanders' offense goes through EIVA Co-Player of the Year, Jabarry Goodridge. The senior leads NJIT in kills (126) and service aces (14). Goodridge leads the conference in kills per set (4.34), ranks second in kills, third in hitting percentage (.315) and fifth in service aces per set (0.48). Defensively, Shannon Heckman paces NJIT with 54 digs and Luke Almond leads the Highlanders with 22 total blocks. Raymond Kowlaski's 0.52 service aces per set is second in the EIVA.
SERIES HISTORY
Saint Francis trails the all-time series against Princeton, 2-39, but swept the Tigers last season. SFU also trails the all-time series against NJIT, 20-25, and split last season's matchups.
FOLLOW ALONG
Video and live stats will be provided for both matches. Information can be found in the men's volleyball schedule page.
NEXT TIME OUT…
Saint Francis returns home next week for an EIVA tripleheader. SFU welcomes in PSU on Feb. 14 before hosting Sacred Heart (Feb. 17) and Harvard (Feb. 18). Matches against Penn State and Sacred Heart are set for 7 p.m., while the match against Harvard is scheduled for 4 p.m. The match against Penn State will be streamed on NEC Front Row.
