Bob Blanchard

Wildcats & Skyhawks Meet In Friday's Regional Semifinals

Daemen seeking first regional final appearance since 2016

12/3/2021 2:17:00 AM

By: CONTACT: Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for Communications/Operations | 716-839-8385 | mmiranto@daemen.edu

NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - EAST REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
(#2 seed) Daemen Wildcats (23-7, 12-0 ECC) vs. (#3 seed) Stonehill Skyhawks (22-9, 10-3 NE10)
Friday, Dec. 3 | 5:00 p.m. | Henry A. Butova Gymnasium | Springfield, Mass.
Watch - NE10 Now Network
Live Stats
Digital Game Program
Tournament Bracket
East Region Tournament Central
Game Notes (PDF)

SURVIVE AND ADVANCE
Second-seeded Daemen survived an incredible challenge from seventh-seeded Bentley in Thursday's regional quarterfinals, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2. It marked the second consecutive five-set win for the Wildcats who had dropped their previous nine five-set matches. They'll meet third-seeded Stonehill in the regional semifinals Friday. The Wildcats are seeking their first regional finals appearance since 2016. Daemen defeated Stonehill 3-1 in the first-ever meeting between the teams earlier this season at the Redhawks Classic hosted by Roberts Wesleyan.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS... TIMES TWO
It was 12 up, 12 down in conference play for the Wildcats who secured the program's third ECC regular season title (2016, 2018, 2021). The Wildcats dropped only one set in conference play during the regular season while recording the first unbeaten conference season in program history. The Wildcats clinched the regular season title with a 3-0 defeat of Mercy on Nov. 6. The Wildcats then went on to win the ECC tournament championship with wins over fourth-seeded Molloy (3-0) and second-seeded Bridgeport (3-2). As the ECC tournament champion, the Wildcats earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

INSTANT CLASSIC
Daemen survived its stiffest challenge from an ECC opponent all season when they rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the final round of the ECC tournament to defeat Bridgeport in five sets. Sophomore middle blocker Vanessa Kuliga was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after totaling 25 kills, nine blocks and a .360 hitting percentage in two matches. Kuliga posted 14 kills and a career-high eight blocks in the finals vs. Bridgeport. Sam Logan added 14 kills and 11 digs for her sixth double-double of the season.

ON A ROLL
Daemen has won 19 of their last 21 contests, including the last 10 in a row. It marks the Wildcats' longest winning streak since rattling off 15 consecutive victories during the 2016 season. It's also the second longest active streak among all East Region teams, trailing only American International (21 straight wins). Daemen has reached the 20-win plateau for the 12th time in program history and for the third time as an NCAA Division II program.

CENTURY MARK
Daemen head coach Stephanie Albano stands just one win shy of 100 for her career. She would become only the second coach in program history to reach the century mark, joining Mark Parisi who led the program to a 151-178 record from 2005-14. Earlier this season, Albano passed Western New York coaching icon Sally Kus for second on the program's all-time wins list. Kus led the program to a 92-54 record from 1998-2001 before moving on to Division I Buffalo.

BATTLE TESTED
While Daemen may have cruised through ECC play this season, the Wildcats entered the postseason having played eight matches against teams that have earned NCAA tournament berths. Five of Daemen's seven losses have come against NCAA tournament qualifiers. The Wildcats own wins over Atlantic Regional participants Edinboro and East Stroudsburg, as well as Stonehill - the No. 3 seed in the East Regional. The Wildcats have also played five-set matches against fourth-seeded New Haven and top-seeded American International.

AWARDS SEASON
Daemen put its stamp on the ECC's major awards and all-conference teams which were announced just prior to the start of the conference tournament. Caitlyn Meyer was named the ECC Player of the Year, while Jasmine Brundage earned ECC Libero of the Year honors. Both players were named to the All-ECC First Team and were joined by setter Olivia Alessi. All-ECC Second Team selections included middle blocker Loren Alberts and outside hitters Sam Logan and Maggie Burns. The six selections for Daemen marks the most by one team since the ECC expanded the all-conference team from 12 to 14 members in 2015. In addition, head coach Stephanie Albano was named the ECC Coach of the Year. It marks the third time in Albano's six-year tenure that she's been selected by her peers for the accolade.

FORT MEYER
Grad student Caitlyn Meyer has made an immediate impact in her first and only season with the Wildcats. She is the ECC leader in kills per set (3.36) as well as Daemen's leader in total kills (339, second in ECC). She's the first Daemen player with more than 300 kills in a season since Meghan Ballou in 2017. A four-time ECC Player of the Week selection, Meyer has tallied 10+ kills in 22 of 30 matches and also ranks fourth in hitting percentage (.270) and sixth in blocks per set (0.67) among the ECC leaders. A Western New York native, Meyer is competing in a fifth collegiate season awarded to players by the NCAA due to COVID-19. She played the first four seasons of her career at the Division I level for James Madison.

JAS-ERCISE
Sophomore Jasmine Brundage has emerged as one of the premier defensive players in the ECC this season. A six-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week selection, Brundage is the ECC leader in total digs (474) and digs per set (4.43). Brundage has recorded 10+ digs in 26 of 30 matches and leads the Wildcats in sets played (107 of a possible 109). If the season ended today, Brundage would hold the second-highest digs-per-set average of Daemen's NCAA Division II era, trailing only Ali Greenwood's 4.45 average in 2018.

SETTING THE TABLE
Sophomore Olivia Alessi has made quite the adjustment in her first season with the Wildcats. Recruited primarily as a defensive specialist, Alessi transitioned to setter early in the season as the Wildcats were dealt with a rash of injuries at the position. All she's done since then is average 9.11 assists per set (second in the ECC) while running the league's second most efficient offense. Alessi's 893 assists are the most for a Daemen player since Isa McCaffrey totaled 1,097 during the 2018 season. Alessi has eight matches this season with at least 40 assists and has also recorded a team-high 13 double-doubles. She's been named the ECC Setter of the Week three times, while teammate Dunja Masic has earned the award twice. Since the conference began recognizing a Setter of the Week in 2014, Daemen is the only team with multiple recipients in the same season.

UP THE MIDDLE
Daemen has gotten solid, perhaps unheralded, play out of their starting middle blockers this season. Junior Loren Alberts and sophomore Vanessa Kuliga are combining for 3.62 kills and 1.25 blocks per set. Both players own a hitting percentage above .300 hitting percentage, good for top three rankings among the ECC leaders. Kuliga is a three-time ECC weekly honoree (one-time Defensive Player of the Week, two-time Rookie of the Week). Alberts was injured in the ECC tournament final and the Wildcats will likely turn to freshman Amelia Armstrong to fill the void.

ON THE OUTSIDE
Senior Sam Logan and junior Maggie Burns have both produced from the outside hitter position for the Wildcats this season. Logan ranks second on the team in fifth in the conference for kills per set (2.83). Logan is also producing from the service line where she leads the ECC in aces per set (0.51). Burns is chipping in 2.15 kills and 2.68 digs per set. The Kentucky native is in her second season with Daemen after transferring from Urbana where she earned Mountain East Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2019.

WRAP IT UP
Daemen closed out the regular season with a 3-0 non-conference road win over Le Moyne on Nov. 11. Grad student Caitlyn Meyer powered down 15 kills – one shy of her season-high for a three-set match – to lead the Wildcats. Olivia Alessi returned to action after missing the prior two matches and recorded a match-high 29 assists to go with nine digs. Daemen trailed only once in the entire match, a 1-0 deficit to start the second set. They built leads of 15-5 (first set), 16-10 (second set) and 18-5 (third set) that Le Moyne was never able to overcome.

NCAA EAST REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Thursday, Dec. 2
#3 Stonehill 3, #6 Jefferson 0
#2 Daemen 3, #7 Bentley 2
#1 American Int'l 3, #8 Southern Connecticut St. 0
#5 Holy Family 3, #4 New Haven 2

Friday, Dec. 3
5 p.m. – #2 Daemen vs. #3 Stonehill
7:30 p.m. – #1 AIC vs. #5 Holy Family

Saturday, Dec. 4
5 p.m. – Regional Championship

DAEMEN NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
2016
12/1 - #2 Daemen 3, #7 Post 2
12/2 - #2 Daemen 3, #3 New Haven 0
12/3 - #4 American Int'l 3, #2 Daemen 2

2018
11/15 - #6 American Int'l 3, #3 Daemen 0

2021
12/2 - #3 Daemen 3, #7 Bentley 2

STONEHILL SCOUTING REPORT
Stonehill is a member of the Northeast-10 Conference and the Skyhawks are led by head coach Craig Martin who was named to the position in 2019. Martin led the Skyhawks to a 17-10 record and an appearance in the semifinal round of the NE-10 Championships in 2019 before his program was limited to just three matches in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was named the NE-10 Coach of the Year this season.

The Skyhawks return 13 players from their 2020-21 team. After being picked fifth in the NE-10 preseason coaches' poll, the Skyhawks placed third in the conference standings and advanced to the semifinal round of the NE-10 tournament. Stonehill was awarded an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Skyhawks are making the third NCAA tournament appearance in program history – all since 2011.

Senior Abby Remick headlines the Stonehill roster after earning All-NE-10 First Team honors. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter is producing a team-high 3.18 kills per set on a .160 hitting percentage this season. Remick has produced 10+ kills in 21 of 31 matches, including the last four in a row.

Senior middle Shannon Burgess and junior right side Basia Peragine each earned All-NE-10 Second Team accolades. Burgess has a team-high .230 hitting percentage and is producing 1.99 kills and 0.67 blocks per set. Peragine's 331 kills are second to only Remick's 359.

Stonehill advanced to Friday's regional semifinals with a 3-0 sweep of sixth-seeded Jefferson. Remick led the way with 14 kills while setter Lauren Wilke recorded a double-double, finishing with 19 assists and 13 digs.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. STONEHILL
Series Record: 1-0
At Neutral Site: 1-0
In NCAA Tournament: 0-0
Current Streak: Daemen won 1
Last Meeting: Daemen 3, Stonehill 1 | Sept. 18, 2018 | Rochester, N.Y.

DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that Daemen has posted an 82-29 record (.739 winning percentage) against East Region opponents since 2016?

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