Jahari Winkfield is averaging a team-high 3.08 kills per set this season

Wildcats Set For Matchup With Elmira Eagles

2/12/2019 10:00:00 AM

By: By Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for External Operations & Communications

GAME INFORMATION & LINKS
MATCH #8: Daemen Wildcats (2-5) vs. Elmira Eagles (5-6)
Wednesday, Feb. 13 | 6 p.m. | Amherst, N.Y. | Lumsden Gymnasium

LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
GAME DAY

THE SERVE
Daemen's inaugural season continues as they host Elmira Wednesday at Lumsden Gymnasium. The match was originally scheduled for Jan. 29 but was postponed until Wednesday due to wintry conditions. The Wildcats are coming off a dominant 3-0 win over crosstown rival Medaille this past Saturday. That match will go down as the Wildcats' first-ever win at Lumsden Gymnasium. Elmira is looking to snap a two-match slide.

THE BEARDED ONE
Don Gleason was named the first head men's volleyball coach at Daemen on May 5, 2017, the same day that the establishment of the program was announced. Gleason brings a wealth of experience to the position, including previous coaching stops at Stony Brook, Buffalo, Yale, Southern California and Medaille. In addition to his coaching responsibilities with the men's program, Gleason has served as an assistant coach with the Daemen women's team for the past three seasons, helping them to a pair of NCAA tournament berths.

THE FRESHMEN EXPERIENCE
Daemen is fielding a nine-man roster in this inaugural season, and all nine are freshman when it comes to athletic eligibility. Eight of the nine players are new to Daemen this year. Freshman setter Michael Krueger is expected to run the team's offense, and he'll be distributing to the likes of Jahari Winkfield and Jesse Donorovich, both of whom are adjusting to more playing time on the pin after playing primary in the middle during their respective scholastic careers. Australian product Henry Moffitt gives the Wildcats a big presence down the middle with his 6-foot-6 frame. Defensively, the Wildcats will rely on freshmen Ryan Beck and Jaden Gillette to dig balls in the back row.

OUT-BATTLING THE BATTLERS
Daemen picked up the first win in program history in their debut match, defeating the Alderson Broaddus Battlers in a five-set thriller on Jan. 11 as part of the Red Flash Invitational. Jahari Winkfield (Oswego, Ill.), Jesse Donorovich (Lockport, N.Y.), Michael Krueger (Canonsburg, Pa.) and Jaden Gillette (Spencerport, N.Y.) paced the Wildcats. Winkfield, a 6-foot-4 right side/middle hitter totaled a team-high 20 kills—including six in the fifth set alone. Donorovich, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter/right side, posted 18 kills (five in the fifth set) and also totaled two service aces, five blocks and eight digs. Krueger, a 6-foot-2 setter, handed out 47 assists and also recorded eight digs. Gillette, a 5-foot-10 defensive specialist, registered 18 digs.

MANHANDLING THE MAVERICKS
In the first-ever meeting between Daemen and Medaille, the Wildcats ousted their crosstown rivals in three sets on Feb. 9. Led by setter Michael Krueger (26 assists) and outside hitter Kyle Kon (team-high nine kills), Daemen attacked at a season-best .246 clip. On the flip side, Medaille committed 21 hitting errors and 20 service errors. It marked Daemen's first regular season home match, and their first-ever win at Lumsden Gymnasium.

REGARDING HENRY
Freshman middle hitter Henry Moffitt was named to the all-tournament team at the Juniata Invitational. The 6-foot-7 Aussie totaled 16 kills over three tournament matches, and attacked at a .353 clip. He averaged 1.6 kills and 1.0 blocks per set, and became the first-ever Daemen player to earn all-tournament team honors.

ELMIRA SCOUTING REPORT
Elmira is a member of NCAA Division III and the United Volleyball Conference. The Eagles are led by Daniel Miranda, the 2018 UVC Coach of the Year, who is now in his third season with the program. Elmira returns 11 players from their 2018 team that went 20-12 overall and 5-4 in UVC play. Among the returners are four of the team's top five hitters, including senior outside hitter Ryan McDonough who led the Eagles with 317 kills last season. Senior setter Jeremy Best (1,260 assists) and sophomore outside hitter Jose Malave (264 kills, team-high 210 digs) also return. The Eagles are off to a 5-6 start this season, and they'll be looking to snap a two-game losing streak. The Eagles suffered back-to-back losses to No. 4 Stevens (3-0) and NYU (3-0) this past weekend. Malave has paced the Elmira offense thus far, totaling 160 kills in 11 matches.

ON THE HORIZON
Daemen is back in action this Sunday, Feb. 17 with a pair of matches. They'll make the short trek to downtown Buffalo to face Medaille (10 a.m.) and D'Youville (4 p.m.); both matches take place at D'Youville's College Center Gymnasium.

Print Friendly Version