Bob Blanchard

Daemen Co-Hosts Battle For NY Matches Saturday

Wildcats to face St. Francis Brooklyn, LIU as part of four-team event

1/28/2022 12:00:00 PM

Battle For NY - Saturday, Jan. 29 (Matches @ Daemen College, Lumsden Gymnasium)
10:30 a.m. - Daemen Wildcats (2-1) vs. St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers (0-1, 0-0 EIVA)
12:30 p.m. - Daemen Wildcats vs. LIU Sharks (1-4)

Tickets (good for matches at Daemen only)
Watch (ECC Network)
Live Stats

Battle For NY - Saturday, Jan. 29 (Matches @ D'Youville College, College Center Gymnasium)
2:30 p.m. - D'Youville Saints (1-1) vs. St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers
4:30 p.m. - D'Youville Saints vs. LIU Sharks

Watch (ECC Network)
Live Stats

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. HOME SWEET HOME
The Daemen men's volleyball team makes their 2022 home debut with a pair of matches Saturday as part of the Battle For NY. The four-team event includes a morning/early afternoon session at Daemen's Lumsden Gymnasium, followed by an afternoon/early evening session at D'Youville's College Center Gymnasium. The Wildcats will face a pair of Division I opponents - St. Francis Brooklyn and LIU. Daemen brings a five-match home winning streak into Saturday's contests and are ranked No. 8 in the latest Off The Block Division II Coaches Poll.

2. SIGNATURE WIN
Daemen picked up arguably the biggest win in program history last Sunday when they defeated Princeton in a five-set thriller. It marked the program's fourth win ever against a Division I opponent (the other three are all against St. Francis Brooklyn), but also their first against an EIVA member. The Wildcats powered down 57 kills and 10 service aces in the win. Zach Schneider led the way by posting a match-high 19 kills. Jake Couzens added a season-high 10 kills. The win capped a three-match road trip to open the 2022 season. The Wildcats picked up a win in their season opener, a 3-0 defeat of Division II independent American International, before suffering a five-set loss to EIVA member Sacred Heart.

3. GONE STREAKING
Led by fourth-year head coach Don Gleason, the Wildcats have hit their stride over the last few seasons. Dating back to early February 2020, Daemen has won 21 of their last 24 matches. The Wildcats are coming off a perfect 10-0 season in 2021 when they were the only NCAA Division I-II team to finish without a loss. The program holds an all-time record of 30-25.

4. STEPPING UP
Grad student Robert Patzer played a pivotal role in Daemen's season-opening road trip, including the big win at Princeton. Patzer recorded a double-double that included a career-high 43 assists (also 10 digs). Patzer, who normally plays the opposite hitter position, was forced into emergency action as a setter with Daemen playing without the services of both Michael Krueger and Gavin Musielak. Patzer notched 25 assists in the win over AIC and also 42 assists in a losing effort at Sacred Heart. The Wildcats are expected to have Krueger and Musielak back in the lineup this weekend.

5. THE SCHEDULE
This weekend's matches kick off a nine-match homestand for the Wildcats - the longest in program history. Daemen's next road trip doesn't come until mid-March. After the completion of Saturday's action, the Wildcats will welcome crosstown rival Medaille to Lumsden Gymnasium on Tuesday, February 1.

ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN SCOUTING REPORT
The St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers are members of NCAA Division I and are competing as a member of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association for the first time. The program is in its third season of existence. The Terriers are led by head Niko Lambert who led the program to eight wins in their first two seasons.

The Terriers return nine players from their 2021 team that posted a 3-3 record in a shortened campaign. Derrick Truong (1.68 digs/set) and Juan Marin Luna (0.75 blocks/set) headline the SFB returners after leading their defensive efforts last season. Junior opposite David Vorfi (2.62 kills/set) is the team's top returning offensive player.

The Terriers opened the season last Saturday and suffered a 3-1 loss at home to Purdue Fort Wayne. Freshman middle Andrea Lancianese notched 12 kills to pace SFB in defeat. The teams split the opening two sets, but Purdue Fort Wayne powered down a combined 27 kills in the third and fourth to get the victory.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN
Series Record: 3-0
At Daemen: 1-0
Current Streak: Won 3
Last Meeting: Daemen 3, St. Francis Brooklyn 1 (26-28, 25-23, 25-14, 25-12) | Apr. 3, 2021 | at Brooklyn, N.Y.

LIU SCOUTING REPORT
The LIU Sharks are an independent member of NCAA Divison I competing in the program's inaugural season. After dropping their first four matches of the season, the Sharks earned the first win in program history earlier this week, defeating Fairleigh Dickinson in four sets.

Veteran mentor Shawn Patchell was named the program's first head coach last July. Patchell owns more than 200 wins in two decades as a head coach at the NCAA level, including a 118-98 mark at Concordia Irvine where he worked from 2013-21.

Freshman opposite Luke Chandler is pacing the Sharks' offense early this season, producing 3.14 kils per set. He tallied a season-high 16 kills in the win over FDU. Junior outside hitter Caden Satterfield is chipping in 2.80 kills per set.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. LIU
Series Record: 0-0
At Daemen: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

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