ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The 15th-ranked Elmira College men's volleyball team is set to challenge No. 8 New York University and No. 2 Stevens Institute of Technology this weekend at a United Volleyball Conference (UVC) tri-match, hosted by the Violets at the Brooklyn Athletic Facility. EC will begin the event with a 4:00 p.m. clash against NYU on Saturday, before closing out play against the Ducks the following morning at 11:00 a.m.
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LAST TIME OUT
The Soaring Eagles had their hands full with upset-minded D'Youville College and Medaille College at the Nazareth College Invitational on Saturday, March 3. Elmira began the event with a 3-1 triumph over the Spartans. Junior
Ryan McDonough '19 led the way for the Purple and Gold with a season-high 19 kills. In the second contest against the Mavericks, EC and Medaille traded blows four the first four sets, which led to a fifth and decisive frame. In the fifth, senior
Matthew Buffum '18 took control and floored six of his match-high 18 kills to guide Elmira to a 15-13 triumph.
Ryan Branigan '19 was fantastic over both matches, as he tallied a combined 35 digs.
Jeremy Best '19 logged 93 assists in the pair of tilts, extending his streak to three consecutive games with at least 40 helpers.
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LOOKING TO THE FLOOR GENERAL
The Soaring Eagles have relied heavily on the performance of Best this season, as he fuels the EC offense with his fantastic passing. The 6-foot-2-inch setter has been impressive all season, as he is third in the league and 11th in the country in assists per set (9.80). Best has tallied 40-plus helpers nine times this season and all but two came in Elmira victories. The junior's assists-per-set average is on pace to be a new career high and to place fifth on EC's single-season leaderboard in that category. Not to be forgotten is Best's blocking ability, as he is third on the team with 53 total blocks in 2018. Best has tallied at least two blocks in the Purple and Gold's last three matches.
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SCOUTING NYU
The Violets have struggled of late, going 1-4 over their last five matches, which has dropped NYU's record to 7-6 overall and to 0-3 in UVC play. These struggles may be due in large part to the caliber of teams the Violets have run into recently, as all four losses came against foes currently in the national rankings. The most recent of those losses came on Tuesday against No. 6 Dominican University (Ill.), 3-0. One of NYU's strong suits this season has been its blocking ability, as it ranks 14th in the country and fourth in the UVC with 2.18 blocks per set. Reigning All-UVC Second-Team middle blocker Neil Ferraro leads this charge with 1.12 blocks per set, which ranks ninth in the county and third in the conference. Offensively, sophomore Evan Lindley leads the Violets with 144 kills. Defending All-UVC Rookie of the Year and First-Team selection Alex Li is not far behind with 120 kills despite missing three matches.
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SCOUTING STEVENS
With just three losses on the season (14-3), the Ducks enter this weekend has one of the hottest teams in the country. Two of Stevens' three setbacks came in the first two matches of the season against Division I University of Hawaii and University of Southern California. The other loss was at the hands of NYU, 3-2, in non-conference action on February 14. The Ducks improved to 3-0 in conference play on February 28, when they avenged their loss against the Violets with a 3-1 win of their own. As one would expect from the second-ranked team in the country, Stevens has employed a balanced game plan this season. The Ducks rank in the top-10 nationally in hitting percentage (.311), assists (11.61), blocks (2.31) and kills per set (12.47). Junior setter Jacob Patterson has been at the center of all of the team's success, as he ranks second in the country and first in the UVC with 10.60 assists per set. The main beneficiary of this excellent passing has been senior middle blocker Thomas Burrell, who leads Division III in both blocks per set (1.35) and hitting percentage (.506). Both Patterson and Burrell were selected to the All-UVC Honorable Mention team in 2017.
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LOOKING AHEAD
Elmira returns to non-conference action next weekend, when it heads to the St. John Fisher Invite in Rochester, New York, for rematches against both Hiram College and Baruch College. The Soaring Eagles will meet the Terriers at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, before taking on the Bearcats at 3:00 p.m.
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