ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Elmira College women's volleyball is set to conclude the 2016 regular season with a trio of matches at SUNY Oneonta's Dig Pink Invitational on Friday, October 28th, and Saturday, October 29th. The Soaring Eagles open the tournament with a 4:00 p.m. match on Friday against the host Red Dragons. The following day, EC will take on Liberty League foe, Bard College, and SUNYAC opponent, Plattsburgh State, at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., respectively.

LAST TIME OUT: After the Purple and Gold honored the careers of senior middles Alicia Day '17 and Kelsey Ray '17 as part of Class of 2017 Recognition Night, EC found itself on the losing end of a three-set match against the University of Rochester. The Yellowjackets, who were ranked eighth in the New York region in the latest NCAA Division III regional polls, finished the sizable advantages in aces (12-to-2) and blocks (10-to-0) en route to the victory. EC looked to rally in the second set, but trailing 19-18, allowed U of R to take the next four points. In their final home match, Day and Ray combined for nine of Elmira's 22 kills.

SCOUTING ONEONTA: The Red Dragons may sit below .500 with a 13-15 overall record, but the tournament hosts are tied for second in the SUNYAC with a 7-2 league mark. Oneonta's competition outside of conference play has been much stiffer, the as Red Dragons have faced programs such as Stevens, Ithaca, Ramapo, Brockport, Union, Clarkson, SUNY New Paltz, and Stockton; that list makes up eight of the 11 teams ranked in the New York region. Signature wins on the Oneonta schedule include a 3-1 victory against New Paltz and a 3-1 triumph over Williams College, which was recently tabbed seventh in the New England regional poll. Senior outside hitter Paige Carpluk is riding a seven-match double-digit kill streak and has hit over .300 in four of the last six matches.

SERIES HISTORY VS. ONEONTA: The Red Dragons boast a 16-5 advantage in the all-time series against the Soaring Eagles. Since the new millennium, however, the results are much closer. After defeating EC at last year's Ding Pink Invitational, Oneonta only leads Elmira by a single victory, 5-4, in matches since 2000.

SCOUTING BARD: The Raptors enter the Dig Pink Invitational with a 7-25 overall mark that has only been worsened by going 0-12 within the Liberty League. Playing at neutral sites, as the Raptors will this weekend, has not been an easy feat for Bard, which is a mere 1-15 in such matches this season. Beginning with a 3-1 home loss to SUNY Maritime on September 10th, the Raptors suffered through a season-long 12-match losing streak, and they just broke another six-match skid by defeating Lehman College on Wednesday in four sets. An All-Liberty League Honorable Mention as a rookie, sophomore outside Sofia Koukia has been the most lethal hitter on the team with 2.61 kills per set, the seventh-best average in the league.

SERIES HISTORY VS. BARD: The Purple and Gold have bested Bard both times in the only previous meetings between the two programs. In the 2015 Dig Pink Invitational, Elmira defeated the Raptors with ease in straight sets (25-12, 25-15, 25-21), with Day and Ray combining for six kills without an error.

SCOUTING PLATTSBURGH STATE: After back-to-back seasons with single-digit wins, it appears the Cardinals are on the rebound. With a 12-16 overall record, they need only one more victory to equal the combined win totals from the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The resurgence has been led by second-year outside hitter Sam Colombo. The 5-foot, 7-inch sophomore was named an All-SUNYAC Third-Teamer in her debut season, and enters this weekend's tournament ranked second in the league in kills per set (3.42) and aces per set (0.51). Led by Colombo, serving has been the biggest strength of the Plattsburgh State squad, as the Cardinals pace the SUNYAC with 236 aces.

SERIES HISTORY VS. PLATTSBURGH STATE: Elmira holds a slim 5-3 advantage in the all-time series with the Cardinals. Two of those wins came last season, both by 3-1 final scores, as the Soaring Eagles beat Plattsburgh State at the New Rochelle Tri-Match and at the 2015 Dig Pink Invitational. Natalie Schieder '19 combined for 28 kills and 25 digs in the two matches opposite the Cardinals.