BOSTON - The Northeastern volleyball team opens Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) conference play this weekend at Stony Brook for a pair of games. The first match will be Friday, September 19, with a 5 p.m. start time on FloCollege.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
1. SEAWOLVES VS. HUSKIES HISTORY - Stony Brook and Northeastern have crossed paths 17 times over their history, with Northeastern holding a 12-5 advantage. Last season, the teams went to five sets (25-22, 25-15, 25-15, 25-20, 15-9) with the Huskies coming away victorious. Brynn Smith set the pace on offense, registering 18 kills, three blocks and 18 digs. Nadia Koanui tabbed 32 digs in that match, along with five assists.
2. CONNECTICUT STAT REPORT - Last weekend, Valentina Meirelles paced the offense with 26 kills, averaging a 2.60 clip per set. Sofia King led the passing with 49 assists, averaging 4.90 per set, alongside a service ace. Nadia Koanui tallied another strong weekend in the back court with 38 digs, just one receiving error, for an impressive 0.977 percentage. The senior captain averaged 3.80 digs per set and grabbed two service aces. Koanui and graduate student Svenja Rodenbüsch earned all-tournament nods at the conclusion of the weekend.
3. CAA STAT LEADER BOARD - Junior duo Beatrice Gennari (No. 1) and Kaylin Daniels (No. 2) still lead the conference in hitting percentage, with Gennari hitting at a .464 clip, and Daniels just behind at a .457 clip. As a team, Northeastern is ranked third in the conference for points per set at 16.77, third in hitting percentage at 0.242, and third in assists with 12.57 per set. The Huskies hold the top spot for game-high attacking percentage this season with 0.396 against Holy Cross as well as the top spot for total digs in a four-set match with 92.
After the trip to New York, Northeastern will take a turn being at home for the first time this season. The Huskies host CAA opponent Towson for a pair of games Friday, September 26 and Saturday, September 27. Friday afternoon's game, at 4 p.m., will be Northeastern's mental health awareness game titled, Spike out the Stigma.
