Middle hitter Tirzah Peters is one of three seniors who will be playing at Lumsden Gymnasium for the final time Friday

Women's Volleyball Closes Unorthodox Season Friday Vs. Redhawks

Seniors Greenwood, Heritz & Peters to be recognized prior to final home match of careers

4/22/2021 11:45:00 AM

GAME #6
DAEMEN WILDCATS (2-3) vs. ROBERTS WESLEYAN REDHAWKS (2-1)
FRIDAY, APRIL 23
LUMSDEN GYMNASIUM (AMHERST, N.Y.) - 7 PM
LIMITED SPECTATORS PERMITTED DUE TO COVID-19 - SEE DAEMEN SPECTATOR POLICY

THE SERVE
The women's volleyball version of the Thruway Rivalry comes to Lumsden Gymansium where Daemen takes on Roberts Wesleyan in the final match of this unorthodox season. The Wildcats are playing an abbreviated, countable schedule this spring after the traditional fall season was shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE WILDCATS
1. Daemen brings a modest two-match winning streak into Friday's contest. After dropping their first three matches of the short season, the Wildcats righted their ship with 3-0 road wins at D'Youville (April 8) and Roberts Wesleyan (April 10). Daemen has been idle since that last match against the Redhawks. Two matches on the schedule for this past weekend at Clarion were cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols.

2. Three graduating seniors will be playing their final contest and each will be honored in a brief pre-game ceremony. Defensive specialist Ali Greenwood, right side/middle hitter Jenn Heritz and middle hitter Tirzah Peters will all walk the stage at next month's commencement ceremony and move on to the next chapter of their lives. All three players have been key contributors throughout their respective careers, helping the Wildcats to a 50-42 overall record, the 2018 East Coast Conference regular season and tournament championships and an NCAA tournament bid. Greenwood is a four-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week honoree and former team MVP who has totaled 1,184 digs in 87 matches. The cancellations at Clarion last week likely cost her a chance to move into the top 10 in program history for career digs. Both Heritz and Peters are past All-ECC selections (Heritz in 2019, Peters in 2018). Heritz has averaged 2.42 kills per set with a .231 hitting percentage in her career, totaling 650 kills in 80 matches. Peters has averaged 1.83 kills and 0.62 blocks per set with a .243 hitting percentage, appearing in 74 matches and totaling 409 kills. Two additional seniors - outside hitter Allison Post and defensive specialist Georgia Wicker - have elected to return to the team next fall, utilizing an additional year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Jenn Heritz has been the go-to player on the offensive side for Daemen so far this season. Heritz has totaled a team-high 70 kills and is averaging 3.89 kills per set while attacking at a .475 clip. The Indiana native put down a career-high 21 kills in Daemen's season-opening loss to Mercyhurst, and added 11 more on a .688 hitting percentage in the win at D'Youville. She's now recorded 10+ kills in 31 of her 80 career matches. Heritz is one of seven players averaging at least one kill per set this season - Sam Logan (2.12), Maggie Burns (1.94), Jordan Martin (1.86), Shelby Kersten (1.63), Loren Alberts (1.47) and Vanessa Kuliga (1.25). As a team, the Wildcats are averaging 12.61 kills per set compared to 9.78 for opponents.

4. Daemen brings an 11-match winning streak against the Redhawks into Friday's contest. It ranks as the Wildcats' longest active winning streak against any single opponent. Since Daemen began transitioning to NCAA Division II in 2012, the Wildcats have posted a 14-3 record against their long-time rivals, leading to a 30-20 advantage in the all-time series. Roberts Wesleyan's last win in the series came on Oct. 15, 2014. In their match earlier this month, Daemen racked up 50 kills on a .355 hitting percentage while severely limiting the RWC offense (18 kills, .085 hitting percentage). Both Jenn Heritz (13 kills) and Sam Logan (season-high 11 kills) reached double-figure kills for the Wildcats, and Loren Alberts added a season-high nine. Dunja Masic continued to handle the Wildcats' setting duties, finishing with 35 assists.

5. Daemen's 3-0 win over Roberts Wesleyan on April 10 was the 75th career victory for head coach Stephanie Albano. Now in her fifth season at the helm, Albano has led the Wildcats to two NCAA tournament berths and ranks third on the program's all-times wins list behind Mark Parisi (151) and Sally Kus (92).

ROBERTS WESLEYAN SCOUTING REPORT
Like Daemen, Roberts Wesleyan is playing an independent schedule this spring, including four regular season matches and one exhibition. The Redhawks are led by sixth-year head coach Doug Porterfield and they return nine players from their 2019 team that finished with a 2-22 record. Among the returners are incumbent starters Lauren Norwood and Emily Rowlison, while contributors Anna Vorderbrueggen and Amanda Greenwood also return. Both of RWC's wins this season have been five-set affairs against ECC newcomer D'Youville. Rowlison is contributing a team-high 2.54 kills per set. She totaled 17 kills, 19 assists and 11 digs in RWC's season-opening win against the Saints on March 20. Norwood has also produced offensively (2.38 kills/set) while newcomers Victoria Rudolph (2.69 digs/set) and Madison Truong (3.69 assists/set) are contributing as well.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. ROBERTS WESLEYAN
Series Record: Daemen 30-20
At Daemen: Daemen 14-9
Current Streak: Daemen won 11
Last Meeting: Daemen 3, Roberts Wesleyan 0 (25-18, 25-11, 25-19) | Apr. 10, 2021 | at Rochester, N.Y.

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