#13 Elmira College (8-2, 0-0 UVC) vs. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (10-3, 0-0 UVC)#13 Elmira College (8-2, 0-0 UVC) vs. #8 New York University (3-5, 0-0 UVC)Saturday, February 13, 2016 | 11:00 A.M. & 5:00 P.M. | Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, NYLive Coverage | Twitter: @ECSoaringEagles Elmira, NY – The 13
th-ranked Elmira College men's volleyball team begins the gauntlet that is the United Volleyball Conference schedule when it returns to Speidel Gymnasium for a tri-match with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and eighth-ranked New York University on Saturday, February 13
th. The Soaring Eagles open the day's action with an 11:00 a.m. bout against MIT, while they conclude the day against NYU at 5:00 p.m. The two visiting teams will also play each other in a middle match at 2:00 p.m.
Last Time Out The 13th-ranked Soaring Eagles posted a 3-1 record last weekend at the Golden Flyer Invitational, hosted by Nazareth College in Rochester, NY. Elmira picked up a pair of five-set wins, along with a 3-0 sweep, at the two-day invite. EC's lone defeat came at the hands of former UVC member Medaille College, a team the Purple and Gold swept earlier this season.
Big Weekend for Ellison Fourth-year outside hitter
Mike Ellison '16 enjoyed one of his finer outings at the Golden Flyer Invitational last weekend. The Victor, NY, native led EC in kills (66), kills per set (4.12), and attack percentage (.408). Of his 66 kills, 27 were recorded EC's five-set win over D'Youville College, which marked a career high for Ellison. For his efforts, he was named the UVC and ECAC Division III North Player of the Week.
Reducing the RE's Although Elmira has been great in several statistical categories this season, one area that could stand an improvement would be the team's serve-receive. The Soaring Eagles are averaging 1.5 receiving errors, which if the season ended today would be the highest average in program history. Elmira had 24 receiving errors (1.3 per set) in the team's first five matches, all EC victories, while the last five contests have seen the Purple and Gold commit 34 errors (1.7 per set) with the team going 3-2. EC is 5-0 this season when the team has made five or fewer receiving errors and 24-6 in those matches dating back to last season.
Scouting MIT MIT opened the 2016 season with four straight wins and as a result earned itself a No. 13 ranking according to the AVCA National Coaches Poll. However, a trio of unranked losses dropped the Engineers out of the Top-15, as their record stands at 10-3 entering this weekend. MIT is 4-1 in its last five matches and opens play this weekend with a two-match win streak with wins over the Sage Colleges and Emerson College. The Engineers sport a two-headed attack, featuring first-year talent Matt Reilly and junior outside hitter Martin Krasuski. Reilly owns the team-lead in kills with 134 on .314 hitting, but Krasuski has been the more efficient option with a .353 attack percentage to go along with a team- and conference-leading 3.87 kills per set average.
Scouting NYU After opening the 2016 campaign with a pair of victories, the eighth-ranked Violets won just one of their next six matches, as NYU enters the weekend with a 3-5 overall record. Of NYU's five losses, two were against unranked Division III teams, including its most recent defeat to Kean University, 3-0. As a result, the Violets are off to their worst start since 2010. Regardless of NYU's record, nothing will come easy to opposing teams, especially with the Violets' extra attention on defense. NYU ranks fourth in the nation in blocking, averaging 2.67 blocks per set. Offensively, Nick Benson looks like NYU's top option, as he sports a team-leading 3.15 kills per set average.
Looking Ahead Following today's contests, Elmira will make the trek out to the West Coast for a trio of matches in sunny California. EC opens the week-long excursion with a Friday, February 19th, meeting with Benedictine at Mesa at 3:30 p.m.
