Women's Volleyball 9/11/2017 2:15:00 PM Lea Sobieraski, Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant

Women's Volleyball Travels Back To Pennsylvania Facing Off Against Gannon

The Wildcats play their eighth-straight match in The Keystone State

GAME INFORMATION
Daemen Wildcats (1-6, 0-0 ECC) vs. Gannon Golden Knights (6-2, 0-0 PSAC)
Tuesday, September 12 | 7:00 p.m.
Erie, Pa. | Hammermill Center

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ALBANO BACK IN ACTION
Stephanie Albano enters her second season as the Head Women's Volleyball Coach at Daemen in 2017. She was promoted to the position after serving as the Associate Head Coach in 2015. In her first season at the helm, Albano led the program to a 25-8 overall record and 13-1 mark in ECC play. She guided the Wildcats to the program's first ECC regular season championship and NCAA Tournament berth. Albano was named the 2016 East Coast Conference Coach of the year and the 2016 NCAA Division II East Region Coach of the Year last season. She was also selected as one of the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) 30 Under 30 award recipients in the spring of 2017.

WILDCATS PICKED 2ND IN ECC PRESEASON POLL
Following a vote of the league's head coaches, Daemen has been picked to finish 2nd in the East Coast Conference this season after capturing the league's regular season championship in 2016.

HOW SWEET IT WAS
After finishing as the ECC tournament runner-ups, the Wildcats earned the program's first ever-NCAA Tournament berth as the No. 2 seed in the East Regional portion of the tournament which was hosted at Daemen's Lumsden gymnasium. Daemen captured their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, defeating Post University in a five-set thriller. The next day the Wildcats advanced to the sweet 16 after defeating third-seeded University of New Haven with a 3-0 victory. But, their historic 2016 camp to an end in the regional finals, falling 3-2 to fourth-seeded American International College.

RETURNING WILDCATS
The Wildcats return eight players from last year's historic 25-8 squad. Redshirt junior Courtney Scanlan returns as a force on the oustide after registering 226 kills in her debut season as a Wildcat. Scanlan registered nine double-digit kill performances last year. Daemen also welcomes back Meghan Ballou and Cristina Apostol, the pair finished first and second on the team in total blocks respectively. Meghan Ballou, a sophomore outside hitter, finished her freshman campaign with 178 kills and 48 blocks. Apostol, a sophomore middle blocker, concluded her rookie season with 185 kills and 43 blocks. Offensive threat Courtney Bernard is back on the season in 2017, the junior middle blocker recorded 153 kills and 41 blocks in just 19 matches. Senior leader Katie McKrell and sophomore Sydney MacInnis return as the top floor generals at the setting position for the Wildcats. Lastly, Daemen's defensive efforts will be led by junior Kailey Ballou and sophomore Jess Kranz, in 2016 the duo registered 318 and 209 dig respectively.

FRESH FACES
Daemen welcomes six true freshmen to the 2017 squad, including players from five different states. Ali Greenwood, a defensive specialist, comes to Daemen from the Greater Chicago area where she was a two-year starter for the west Aurora Blackhawks, helping them to an Upstate 8 Conference championship in 2015. Fellow defensive specialist Georgia Wicker hails from northern Illinois where she earned four varsity letters for the Woodstock Blue Streaks. She ended her scholastic career with a school record 1,857 digs. Outside hitter Abby Francis comes from Royal Oak, Michigan and brings an ability to play both the front and back rows. Jennifer Heritz, a 6-foot middle-blocker comes to Daemen from The Hoosier State, where she starred for the Penn Kingsmen and helped her team win two sectional championships. Allison Post, another 6-footer, traveled from Windsor, California to join the Wildcat squad. The outside hitter was a two-time All-North Bay league first-team selection in her four year career. Rounding out the rookie class is local athlete Tirzah Peters who comes to Daemen after an impressive athletic career just a short drive away at Sweet Home High School. The 6-foot middle blocker earned six varsity letters on the volleyball court for the Panthers.

FIVE SETS ON THE WILDCATS

Daemen plays its third consecutive match against a team that qualified for the 2016 NCAA Tournament
Daemen ranks in the top four categories of assists, kills, total blocks and service aces among all East Coast Conference teams thus far
Sophomore Meghan Ballou leads the Wildcats with 80 total kills through seven matches, and shes averaging 2.96 kills per set
Sophomore Cristina Apostol has posted double-figure kills in each of the last three matches
Defensively, freshmen Ali Greenwood and Georgia Wicker have made an immediate impact, averaging 3.33 and 2.89 digs per set respectively

LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats continued their 2017 campaign last weekend at the California (Pa.) Vulcan Invitational, dropping all four matches to fall 1-6 on the season thus far. The Wildcats four losses came at the hands of Davis & Elkins College, Lake Erie College, Fairmont State University and the host California University. In the 3-1 defeat to D & E, sophomore Meghan Ballou registered a career-high 19 kills, while redshirt junior Courtney Scanlan and freshman Allison Post added 11 and nine kills respectively. In another 3-1 loss later that day to Lake Erie, senior setter Katie McKrell dished out 39 assists and freshman defensive specialist Georgia Wicker registered 12 digs. In Saturday's morning match against Fairmont State, Cristina Apostol notched a team-high 15 kills, while defensively, first-year Ali Greenwood posted a strong defensive showing with 22 digs. Daemen's final game of the tournament was a five-setter thriller against the Vulcans. Megan Ballou, Jenn Heritz and Cristina Apostol all recorded double-digit digs in the loss.

ALL-TOURNEY APOSTOL
Sophomore Cristina Apostol was selected to the Cal Vulcan Invitational All-Tournament Team for her performance over the weekend of September 8-9. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker posted 45 kills, ten blocks, ten digs and six service aces in the event hosted by California University (Pa.).

GANNON SCOUTING REPORT
Daemen opens this week with another non-conference match-up on the road, visiting Gannon University in Erie, Pa. The Golden Knights are coming off of a monumental 31-4 season in 2016 in which they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament after claiming the division and PSAC Tournament Championships. Gannon was selected to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Northwest Division (PSAC) according the conference preseason coaches' poll released prior to the season. Head coach Matt Darling entered his 11th season with the Lady Knights in 2017, who are led by seven seniors including Kelsey Ansec, Anne-Mari Kaur, Brianna Brennan, Rebekah Smith, Jordan Talevski, Sara Crandall and Maggie Wilhelm. Ansec led the team in points (416) and kills last season, good for a PSAC first team selection. Smith also reached 300 kills, earning a spot on the conference's second team. Gannon has gone 6-2 thus far in 2017, coming off a 4-1 mark at the Gannon-Mercyhurst Invitational. Ansec continues to lead the Gannon offense this season with 67 kills, along with sophomore Toni Leitshuh and Smith who have registered 63 and 46 kills respectively. The Golden Knights attack has been paced by junior setter Carolyn Knollman's 186 assists. Defensively, Sara Crandall continues to guide the Lady Knights, having registered 90 digs thus far.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. Gannon: 1-8
Streak: L-6
Last Meeting: Gannon 3, Daemen 1 | September 20, 2016 | Amherst, N.Y.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats open their involvement in a tri-match hosted by St. Rose in Albany, N.Y. by squaring off with Adelphi on Saturday, September 16, at 1:00 p.m. Daemen then faces the host St. Rose, immediately after their match against the Panthers, the contest is set to begin at 3:00 p.m. Both squads are members of the Northeast-10 Conference.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Cristina Apostol: MB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#1 Kailey Ballou: L; 5' 7"; Junior

#2 Meghan Ballou: OH; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#9 Courtney Bernard: MB/RS; 6' 0"; Junior

#4 Jess Kranz: DS; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#8 Sydney MacInnis: S; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#11 Katie McKrell: S; 5' 8"; Senior

#7 Courtney Scanlan: OH; 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior

#3 Ali Greenwood: DS; 5' 6"; Freshman

#5 Jenn Heritz: MH; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#15 Cristina Apostol
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: MB

#1 Kailey Ballou
: 5' 7"; Junior
: L

#2 Meghan Ballou
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: OH

#9 Courtney Bernard
: 6' 0"; Junior
: MB/RS

#4 Jess Kranz
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: DS

#8 Sydney MacInnis
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: S

#11 Katie McKrell
: 5' 8"; Senior
: S

#7 Courtney Scanlan
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Junior
: OH

#3 Ali Greenwood
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: DS

#5 Jenn Heritz
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: MH