Saint Francis Women's Volleyball Serves Up Opening Weekend At Toledo

Women's Volleyball | 8/28/2025 11:31:00 AM

OPENING SERVE VS UALBANY
Saint Francis will open its campaign against UAlbany for the third time in this series. It will be the first time since 2009 on the first day of the tournament. The first time they met in 2000, the Red Flash swept 3-0 to take the lead in the series. In the second meeting, in 2009, the Great Danes swept 3-0 to put the series 1-1. On Friday, Saint Francis looks to once again take the lead in this all-time series.

THE WORD ON THE GREAT DANES
UAlbany's Great Danes come into the tournament with a clean slate after going 12-15 during the 2024 season. They have two main returners who are looking to kill competition including sophomore Maria Olga Siapani and graduate student Shynelle Woroniuk. Olga Siapani was Rookie of the Year, made Second Team All-Conference, and All-Rookie Team all in her first-year debut collecting 800 assists. Woroniuk earned 329 kills and 190 digs allowing her to earn First Team All-Conference, All-Academic Team, and Presidential Scholar-Athlete.

OPENING SERVE VS ROBERT MORRIS
Saint Francis and Robert Morris will have their 88th meeting of all time dating back to 1985 on Saturday. The last time Saint Francis beat the Colonials was during a 3-1 series in 2018. This will be the first matchup since 2019 as the Red Flash look to add another tally to its win column in the overall series.

THE WORD ON THE COLONIALS
Robert Morris is coming off a 9-20 record from the 2024 season. They are bringing back a key middle blocker, Azra Eric, and outside hitter, Jocelyn Jourdan. Eric finished first in the Horizon League in blocks and finished the year with 127 total blocks and 116 block assists. Jourdan led the team in kills with 274 and second in kills per set at 2.51.

OPENING SERVE VS TOLEDO
The Red Flash will open the season at the Rocket Invitational Presented by Delta Hotels by Marriott hosted by Toledo on August 29 and 30. It is the third time the Loretto program will play in a Toledo-hosted event after also competing in 2005 and 2016 in its tournament. This will be the sixth series against Toledo.

THE WORD ON THE ROCKETS
During the 2024 season, the Rockets made it to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) but lost in the first round, ending the season with a 17-15 record. Libero Grace Freiberger and middle blocker Sierra Pertzborn were both named to the Preseason All-MAC Team and earned a spot on the 2024 All-Freshman Team. Freiberger led the conference in digs per set last season with 5.65 and recorded double-figures digs in 27 matches. Pertzborn collected 119 total blocks during her freshman debut and tallied 214 kills.

NEXT TIME OUT
Saint Francis will host its home opener during the Altoona Grand Red Flash Classic starting off against Siena (September 5) followed by Youngstown State (September 6) and Lafayette (September 6).

PRESEASON POLL
Saint Francis women's volleyball was picked third in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Preseason Poll. LIU earned four first-place votes and earned the distinction of being the preseason favorite. FDU garnered the three other first-place nods to finish in second. After the Red Flash in third place, the defending NEC Champions, Chicago State, Mercyhurst, Stonehill, CCSU, New Haven, and Le Moyne round out the nine-team poll. New Haven is in its first year in the NEC, and along with Mercyhurst, is not eligible for postseason play.

RETURNERS TO TALK ABOUT
Korrin Burns returns for her final year as the team's top kills per set leader (4.07) after ranking second in the NEC with kills (342) and sixth in service aces (0.45). Kori McClure also registered 215 kills, coming in third in hitting percentage (.313). Both of these outside hitters earned All-NEC first team looking to come back this season with a clear attack. Alexandra Sappia returns to collect more aces as paced service aces per set (0.54) and she ranked second in assists (812). She was also announced to the All-NEC second team in 2024.

WELCOME TO THE LO'
In the upcoming season opener at Toledo, three Red Flash are looking for their first collegiate start: Gwen Atkins (Morristown, N.J./Morristown), Hailey Atkins (Morristown, N.J./Morristown), and Nevaeh Ingram (Rocky Mount, N.C./Northern Nash).

In addition, sophomore Paloma Gonzalez Jaramillo (Coahuila, Mexico/Bishop Lynch) is looking for her Saint Francis starting debut. During the 2024 season she played for Stonehill and collected 140 kills and 36 digs. Sophomore Elsa Richards (Wilmington, Mass./Essex North Shore Technical and Agricultural) came from Adelphi. Graduate student Chandler Alter (Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern) transferred in from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She finished the 2024 season with 244 digs and 19 aces. Alter and Richards are joining Gonzalez Jaramillo in looking for their starting debut for Saint Francis.

Staying with the team but from a viewpoint, is graduate assistant Raegan Rosi.

ABOUT THE COACH
Sara Spielvogel begins her tenth season in Loretto. She earned her first overall winning season in 2023, going 15-11 with a 10-4 record in conference play. Saint Francis earned two players on the First-Team All-Conference Team and made the NEC tournament for the third consecutive year. In her first season in Loretto, Spielvogel guided the team to wins over Buffalo of the Mid-American Conference and Iona in non-conference play. She picked up her first NEC victory in a triumph over FDU. In her first season, the Red Flash finished third in the NEC in digs and digs per set and had a pair of attackers record over 200 kills. Prior to Saint Francis, Spielvogel sent a season on the staff at the College of Wooster. The Fighting Scots had a four-win improvement from the previous season and had their best start to a season since 1969.

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