Elmira College (6-2) vs. Alfred State (11-0)
Wednesday, September 23, 2015 | Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, NY
Live Coverage | Twitter: @ECSoaringEagles
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College women's volleyball team is back in action tomorrow, September 23rd, when the Purple and Gold host the Pioneers of Alfred State in a non-conference match.  Tomorrow's match is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Elmira's Speidel Gymnasium. 
 
Last Time Out
Elmira went 1-1 over the weekend at the New Rochelle Tri-Match. The Soaring Eagles suffered a 3-1 setback against host New Rochelle before besting Plattsburgh State by an identical score.  In the loss to New Rochelle, Elmira struggled to put the ball away, as the Soaring Eagles hit .035 for the match.  However, the Elmira women responded well against Plattsburgh State, hitting a .163 as a team.
 
Finding the Rhythm
The Soaring Eagles opened the 2015 campaign in great form, posting team hitting percentages of .200 or better in four consecutive matches, including a season-high .314 against Morrisville State. However, since then, Elmira is hitting .113 as a team.  A key factor could be limiting hitting errors, as the Purple and Gold have committed 106 errors in their last four contests, compared to the 66 the registered in their first four matches.
 
Schieder Continues to Shine
First-year talent Natalie Schieder '19 has enjoyed a great start to her collegiate career with the Soaring Eagles. She leads Elmira with 104 kills on a team-high 291 attempts for a team-best .227 hitting percentage. Schieder not only leads the EC offense, she is also one of the most productive hitters in the Empire 8 Conference as well. She leads the E8 with a 3.25 kills per set average and is the only freshman ranked inside the Top-5 in that category.
 
Scouting the Pioneers
The Pioneers of Alfred State enter tonight's non-conference battle with an unblemished 11-0 record and are riding high on a three-match streak of 3-0 victories. Alfred State and Elmira have nearly identical per set averages in kills, assists, and digs. However, the Pioneers seem to set themselves apart with an impressive .274 team hitting percentage and a 3.97 aces per set average. 
 
All-Time Series
Since 2001, Elmira has faced the Pioneers of Alfred State four times, including a pair of matches in 2014.  Alfred State owns a 3-1 edge in the all-time series and have won two straight against Elmira.  EC's last win in the series occurred in 2013, when the Soaring Eagles powered past the Pioneers at Speidel Gymnasium, 3-1.  Additionally, all of Alfred State's wins in the series have taken place on their home court or on a neutral court. Keep an eye on Janae Hamilton and Bryanna Godfrey, who account for nearly 42 percent of Alfred's total kills.
 
Looking Ahead
Following tonight's match, the Soaring Eagles will resume their Empire 8 Conference schedule on Saturday, September 26th, as the Elmira women take on Nazareth College and Hartwick College. Both matches will take place at Hartwick's Lambros Arena in Oneonta, NY. EC opens play at 1:30 p.m. against the Golden Flyers before squaring off against the Hawks at 4:00 p.m.