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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
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Surging Wildcats Set For First-Ever Conference Match Vs. D'Youville

Daemen looks to extend winning streak as they face new crosstown rival

10/12/2021 4:30:00 PM

Match #19
Daemen Wildcats (12-6, 5-0 ECC) vs. D'Youville Saints (2-13, 1-4 ECC)
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 13
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | College Center Gymnasium
Live Stream: Via ECC Sports Network
Live Stats: Via athletics.dyc.edu
More Info: D'Youville Spectator Policy

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. BEST IN 716
Bragging rights are on the line Wednesday as Daemen and D'Youville meet as East Coast Conference foes for the first time. D'Youville is in its second of a three-year transition from NCAA Division III to Division II, and the Saints are playing a full ECC slate for the first time. The Wildcats will be making just their third trip all-time to DYC's College Center Gymnasium, and their first since grabbing a 3-0 win there last spring during the unorthodox 2020-21 season. The teams met in April for the first time since 2008, and for the first time since 1999 at D'Youville. 
 
2. ON A ROLL
The Wildcats will ride a five-match winning streak into Wednesday's contest. Daemen has won eight of their last nine matches, going 25-7 in sets during that span. Over that nine-match span, the Wildcats have seen an uptick across all statistical areas...
  • Kills per set: 14.1 (up from 13.0 in the first nine matches of the season)
  • Hitting percentage: .219 (up from .207)
  • Assists per set: 13.0 (up from 11.6)
  • Service aces per set: 1.9 (up from 1.4)
  • Serve reception percentage: .956 (up from .917)
  • Digs per set: 17.47 (up from 15.1)
  • Blocks per set: 1.8 (up from 1.6)
Daemen's surge has been powered by the offensive play of Caitlyn Meyer, Sam Logan and Maggie Burns - all of whom are averaging more than 3.0 kills per set over the last nine matches. Meyer has been stellar all year, and she continues to lead the ECC in both total kills (225) and kills per set (3.52). But, it's been the emergence of Logan and Burns on the opposite side that has made the Wildcats that much more difficult to defend. Burns posted a career-high 16 kills in matches against Southern Connecticut State and Roberts Wesleyan. Logan is averaging a team-high 3.32 kills per set over this span. The Wildcats are also getting a combined 4.07 kills and 1.64 blocks per set with a .336 hitting percentage between middle blockers Loren Alberts and Vanessa Kuliga. Alberts leads the ECC in blocks per set (0.71) while Kuliga leads in hitting percentage (.350). 

3. AWARDS SEASON
Earlier today, Daemen became the first team ever to sweep all four ECC weekly awards. The ECC went to their current weekly award format in 2018, recognizing a Player, Setter, Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week. Sam Logan was named ECC Player of the Week for the first time in her career. She's the third Daemen player to earn the honor this season, joining Caitlyn Meyer and Maggie Burns as the Wildcats have accounted for five of the six Player of the Week selections this season. Olivia Alessi (three-time Setter of the Week), Jasmine Brundage (four-time Defensive Player of the Week) and Vanessa Kuliga (two-time Rookie of the Week) are all multi-time award recipients after this morning's announcement. 
 
4. GETTING DEFENSIVE
Daemen has been arguably the best defensive team in the ECC so far this season. The Wildcats lead the conference and rank 47th nationally with 1,103 digs. They're also holding opponents to a .125 hitting percentage, best in the league and good for 24th nationally. Sophomore Jasmine Brundage continues to lead the ECC with 268 digs (ranks second in digs/set with 4.06). She's had plenty of support as Olivia Alessi and Maggie Burns are averaging 2.85 and 2.45 digs per set, respectively. Daemen, Mercy and Molloy are the only ECC teams with three players averaging at least 2.45 digs per set. 
 
5. UP NEXT
The Wildcats have their first open weekend of the season and will return to action next Tuesday, October 19 when they visit Gannon. 

D'YOUVILLE SCOUTING REPORT
D'Youville is in its second of a three-year process as the program transitions from NCAA Division III to Division II. The Saints, led by head coach Kyle Shanley, are playing a full East Coast Conference schedule for the first time. Shanley is in his first full season with the program after guiding the Saints through the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign last spring. Eight players return to the roster, six of whom remain listed as freshmen due to the additional season of eligibility granted due to COVID-19. All told, 14 of the 17 players on D'Youville's roster are listed as freshmen. The Saints have found tough sledding so far this season with just two wins in their first 15 contests. Both victories have come over Roberts Wesleyan - first in a non-conference meeting Sept. 18 that went to five sets, and again on Oct. 5 when the Saints recorded their first-ever ECC win by a 3-0 final. Right side hitter Nathalya Rocha (1.82 kills/set) and outside hitter Eve Musielak (1.62 kills/set) are pacing the Saints offensively thus far. Setter Emma Wlostowski ranks third in service aces (0.46) and fifth in assists (6.58) per set among the ECC leaders. Defensive specialist Samantha Killane is averaging an ECC-best 4.14 digs per set. She recorded an astounding 43 digs in DYC's five-set victory over Roberts Wesleyan. The Saints rank seventh in the conference (out of seven teams) in per-set averages for kills (7.94), digs (12.94) and blocks (0.98) as well as hitting percentage (.065). 

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. D'YOUVILLE
Series Record: Daemen leads 4-0
At D'Youville: Daemen leads 2-0
Current Streak: Daemen won 4
Last Meeting: Daemen 3, D'Youville 0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-8) | Apr. 8, 2021 | at Buffalo, N.Y.


 
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