Volleyball Announces 2014 Schedule
The Central Connecticut volleyball team will open the season at the UConn Tournament on August 29.
The Central Connecticut volleyball program has announced its 2014 schedule featuring 26 matches, including 10 home contests at Detrick Gym. Head Coach Linda Sagnelli's squad will open the season in tournament play at the University of Connecticut on August 29. The Northeast Conference opener is slated for September 27.
The Blue Devils will open the season with Big Ten member Indiana on Aug. 29 in the UConn Tournament. The following day CCSU will take on the host Huskies and defending America East Champion New Hampshire.
The following weekend the Blue Devils will travel to Harvard and play Delaware, Santa Clara and the host Crimson. The season's third weekend will have the Blue Devils visiting Rhode Island for the Brown Invitational. CCSU will play Liberty, Fairfield and Brown at that tournament.
The home portion of the 2014 season will begin on September 19 with the first day of the CCSU Blue Devil Invite. CCSU will host Hartford on day one and then play Providence and NJIT on September 20. In all six matches will be held at Detrick Gym over the two days of the tournament.
"The 2014 season begins with a Big Ten opponent, Indiana, at the UConn tournament and continues with UConn and America East Conference Champion New Hampshire. We follow that with strong tournaments at Harvard and Brown that we believe will prepare our team for play in the Northeast Conference," said Sagnelli. "These tournaments, as well as our home tournament, will certainly test our young team early in the season, but it will also give them experience against teams with fast tempos and physical front court play. It will help prepare the team for conference play as we strive to compete for the NEC Championship."
Following the CCSU Invite, the Blue Devils will open NEC play with a home match against Bryant on September 27 and then contests against Robert Morris and Saint Francis U on October 4 and 5.
The Blue Devils will also host home NEC matches against Fairleigh Dickinson (10/18), Sacred Heart (10/19), St. Francis Brooklyn (11/8) and defending champion LIU Brooklyn (11/9).
CCSU will also visit St. Francis Brooklyn (10/11), LIU Brooklyn (10/12), Bryant (10/25), Robert Morris (11/1), Saint Francis U (11/2), Fairleigh Dickinson (11/15) and close the regular season at Sacred Heart (11/16).
"Each match in the NEC is a challenge," Sagnelli added. "With a veteran LIU team defending their title, and close matches last season with Sacred Heart and Robert Morris, we know that we need to be prepared for every opponent that comes our way. Whether they finished first or eighth last year, throughout the season we hope to maintain a high level of competitiveness. Our focus is on having the opportunity to be competing for the championship in November."