Geoff Schneider

Men's Volleyball Looks To Soar Past Eagles Tuesday Night

Wildcats' home stand continues with Elmira coming to town

2/14/2022 2:15:00 PM

Match #9
Daemen Wildcats (6-2) vs. Elmira Soaring Eagles (10-4, 0-0 UVC)
Tuesday, Feb. 15 | 6 p.m. | Lumsden Gymnasium

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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. STRIVE FOR FIVE
The Daemen men's volleyball team continues the longest home stand in program history when they welcome NCAA Division III affiliate Elmira to Lumsden Gymnasium for a Tuesday night tile. The Wildcats are looking for their fifth straight victory after extending their winning streak with a 3-0 shellacking of fellow Division II independent American International last Saturday afternoon. Daemen opened the match by scoring 12 of the first 13 points and cruised to the season sweep of the Yellow Jackets. The Wildcats put down 33 kills on a .400 hitting percentage and forced AIC into more attack errors (17) than kills (12).

2. COMING UP ACES
Daemen has used the service line to their advantage so far this season. Only Hawaii - No. 3 in this week's AVCA Division I-II Coaches Poll - is averaging more aces per set (2.88) than Daemen's 2.38. The Wildcats have recorded 10 or more aces in five of their eight matches, including the last three in a row. Led by sophomore Cameron Milligan and junior Ryan Parker, Daemen totaled 11 aces in Saturday's win over AIC. Milligan tied the program record for aces in a match with five, while Parker added four. Milligan ranks 14th among all Division I-II players by averaging 0.54 aces per set. Junior outside Zach Schneider leads the team and ranks eighth nationally (0.58 aces/set).

3. WHAT'S TRENDING
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 25 of their last 29 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 34-26 and they enter Tuesday's match having won 13 consecutive matches against Division II and III opponents.

4. CARDIAC KIDS
Daemen has shown a flare for the dramatic so far this season with four of their first eight matches going to five sets, posting a 2-2 record in those contests. Most recently, Daemen survived a scare from St. John Fisher (No. 14 in the AVCA Division III Coaches Poll), rallying from a 2-1 deficit to record the program's eighth straight win against a Division III opponent. Zach Schneider (12 kills) and Ryan Parker (10 kills, 10 digs) led the way. Jake Couzens chipped in nine kills without committing a hitting error, but was lost late in the match to an injury. Parker Wade came off the bench to provide a spark, recording two of his three kills in the fifth set along with a key service ace. Daemen improved to 6-7 all-time in five-set matches with victories in five of their last nine.

5. WHAT'S NEXT
Daemen plays their seventh of nine consecutive home matches next Wednesday, February 23 when nationally-ranked Division III program Nazareth comes to town.

ELMIRA SCOUTING REPORT
The Elmira Soaring Eagles are members of NCAA Division III and the United Volleyball Conference. Head coach Daniel Miranda is in his sixth season at the helm,. having led the program to a 61-85 record to date. The veteran mentor has the Eagles off to a 10-4 start this season.

Eight players return from Elmira's 2021 team that finished with a 2-15 overall record. Four players are averaging at least 2.0 kills per set, led by junior right side Oscar Munoz Trinidad (3.09) who has a team-high 133 kills. Additional offensive production is coming from freshman outside Alberto Mauricio (2.68 kills/set), sophomore outside Jordan Peiser (2.48 kills/set) and junior outside Eric Jackson (2.38 kills/set).

Defensively, 6-foot-7 senior middle Matt Amoddio is contributing a team-high 0.91 blocks per set.

Elmira comes into Tuesday's match looking to extend their winning streak to three straight. The Soaring Eagles picked up wins this past weekend over Hilbert and Medaille, both three-set affairs. Munoz Trinidad notched 19 kills to lead the way vs. Hilbert, while Mauricio paced the squad vs. Medaille, finishing with 13 kills. Elmira is 8-2 in three-set matches this season (2-2 in matches going four sets).

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. ELMIRA
Series Record: 4-1
At Daemen: 1-1
Current Streak: Won 4
Last Meeting: Daemen 3, Elmira 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-17) | Mar. 14, 2021 | at Elmira, N.Y.

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