Bob Blanchard

Men's Volleyball Plays Back-To-Back To Close Road Trip

Wildcats visit Purdue Fort Wayne, Mount Union as week-long trip winds down

3/16/2022 12:30:00 PM

Match #15
Daemen Wildcats (11-3) vs. Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (12-7, 4-3 MIVA)
Thursday, Mar. 17 | 7 p.m. | Gates Sports Center
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Match #16
Daemen Wildcats vs. Mount Union Purple Raiders (7-9, 4-0 MCVL)
Friday, Mar. 18 | 5 p.m. | McPherson Academic & Athletic Complex
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1. ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The Daemen men's volleyball team concludes a long road trip with back-to-back matches Thursday (at Purdue Fort Wayne) and Friday (at Mount Union). The Wildcats will be seeking the program's first-ever win against a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) member when facing the UPFW Mastadons - the third MIVA team (also Ball State, Loyola Chicago) Daemen has faced over the first four seasons of the the program's existence. Less than 24 hours later, Daemen will face Division III foe Mount Union for the first time ever. The Wildcats are 3-2 in road matches this season and are one victory shy of tying the program record for wins in a season.

2. SPLITTSVILLE
Daemen has earned a split of their first two matches on this week-long, Midwestern road trip, falling to No. 11 Loyola Chicago (3-1) before rebounding with a 3-0 sweep of 2021 Division III national runner-up Benedictine. Despite the loss to the Ramblers, the Wildcats put together a solid showing and had two set point opportunities to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Robert Patzer (14 kills) and Zach Schneider (10 kills, 10 digs) paced Daemen in defeat. Against Benedictine, the Wildcats played with a lead for the majority of the match, thanks to their .397 hitting percentage and a 10-1 advantage in service aces. Schneider notched 12 kills to lead the way while middle hitters Henry Moffitt (9 kills) and Jake Couzens (7 kills) combined for 16 kills and a .727 hitting percentage. The win was Daemen's 18th consecutive against an opponent from Division II or III.

3. COMING OF AGE
The Daemen men's volleyball program is in its fourth season of existence. Led by head coach Don Gleason, the Wildcats have gradually worked their way to respectability. After going 6-17 in their inaugural campaign (2019), the Wildcats posted a 12-7 mark in 2020, winning nine of 11 matches through February and March before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of the final 10 matches of the season. In 2021, with the pandemic still very much raging, the Wildcats conducted a season without ever leaving New York State and finished 10-0 - the only NCAA Division I-II team without a loss. Add in the Wildcats' 11-3 start in 2022, and they've won 30 of their last 35 matches (dating back to February 2020). Their recent success has propelled them into the national conversation. Daemen is ranked seventh in the Off The Block Division II Coaches Poll, marking the eighth straight week they've been included in the poll.

4. ZACH ATTACK
Junior outside hitter Zach Schneider has paced the Daemen offense by averaging 3.23 kills per set this season. Schneider has posted 10 or more kills in nine of the matches he's played in, including a season-high 22 in a five-set loss to Sacred Heart on January 22. Schneider, who originally committed to Long Beach State before settling at Daemen (less than 20 miles from his hometown of Lockport, NY), also ranks fifth among the Division I-II leaders by averaging 0.59 service aces per set (as a team, Daemen ranks first nationally - 2.34 service aces/set). Schneider has appeared in 38 matches in his career and is Daemen's all-time leader in kills (421) and service aces (68).

5. WHAT'S NEXT
Daemen returns to Lumsden Gymnasium for their final home match of the season, hosting Fairleigh Dickinson for a 4 p.m. tilt Saturday, March 26.

PURDUE FORT WAYNE SCOUTING REPORT
The Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons are members of NCAA Division I and the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. Head coach Ryan Perrotte, a 1999 UPFW graduate, is in his seventh season leading the Mastadons. He has led the program to a 78-88 record and has them off to a 12-7 start this season.

The 'Dons return 12 players from their 2021 team that finished with a 6-9 overall record in a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Senior defensive specialist Troy Gooch and sophomore outside hitter Vicente Ibarra headline the UPFW returners after earning All-MIVA honors last season. Gooch is a Western New York native and graduate of Canisius High School.

The 'Dons have won four of their last five matches, including consecutive 3-0 wins over Charleston (W.Va.) and Central State last weekend. They have posted a 5-2 record at the Gates Sports Center and enter Thursday's match having won three straight matches there.

Junior attacker Jon Diedrich has paced the UPFW offense thus far, averaging 3.75 kills per set. Diedrich has posted 10+ kills in 16 of 18 matches this season, including a season-high 26 in an early season loss to George Mason.

Ibarra put down a season-high 22 kills in a five-set win over McKendree and is averaging 2.82 kills per set. Gooch has paced the defense, averaging 2.25 digs per set.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Series Record: 0-0
At Purdue Fort Wayne: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

MOUNT UNION SCOUTING REPORT
The Mount Union Purple Raiders are members of NCAA Division III and the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League. Like Daemen, the Mount Union program is in its fourth season of existence. Head coach Matt Mihelic has had the reins since the program's inception, leading the Purple Raiders to a 47-35 record to date.

Mount Union returns 14 players from their 2021 team that advanced to the championship round of the MCVL tournament, finishing with a 21-3 overall record. A trio of All-MCVL Second Team selections - senior setter Jeremy Leyden, senior defensive specialist Steven Grenier and senior middle hitter Sam Matonis - headline the team's returners.

The Purple Raiders have won seven of their first 16 matches this season and are coming off losses to Campbellsville and Mount Vernon Nazarene at the latter's tri-match this past weekend.

Junior outside hitters Cameron Ternent and Luke Trzeciak have paced the Mount Union offense by each averaging 2.39 kills per set. Trzeciak has posted 10+ kills in five of the last six matches.

Additional production is coming from junior middle hitter Andrew Cross (2.14 kills/set, 1.04 blocks/set) while Grenier has paced the defense (2.77 digs/set).

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. MOUNT UNION
Series Record: 0-0
At Mount Union: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

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