Volleyball Hosts NEC Foes For Opening Home Weekend

The Central Connecticut volleyball team opens play in the Northeast Conference with its first home match of the season on Friday night against LIU Brooklyn. The Blue Devils will also host St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION | Detrick Gymnasium

CCSU (7-4) vs. LIU BROOKLYN (7-6) | Friday, Sept. 22 | 7 PM
LIVE STATS | NEC FRONT ROW | @KizerBlueDevil (In-game twitter updates)

CCSU (7-4) vs. ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN (6-9) | Saturday, Sept. 23 | 4 PM
LIVE STATS | @KizerBlueDevil (In-game twitter updates)

Central has opened the season by going 7-4, with all of the matches being played away from Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils were tabbed third in the preseason coaches poll, collecting a pair of first-place votes. CCSU is the top defensive team in the NEC, holding opponents to a .150 hitting percentage and averaging 2.58 blocks/set and 17.62 digs/set. Senior Maddie Smith is hitting a league-high .414, while posting 1.38 blocks/set, also a league-high. 

LIU Brooklyn was tabbed the NEC's preseason favorite after garnering four first-place votes. The Blackbirds won last season's league tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. LIU returns five of its seven starters from that NCAA appearance, including Amanda Hubbard who ranks fifth in assists (6.4/set) and Filippa Hansson who ranks seventh in aces (0.37/set) and sixth in hitting (.296)

St. Francis Brooklyn was picked seventh in the preseason poll. The Terriers welcome six newcomers and have nearly matched its 2016 win total just a month into the season. SFBK ranks second in the league as a team in blocks (1.92/set) and Aleksandra Gligoric ranks second in kills (3.84/set).

The top four teams in the league standings after the regular season will advance to the NEC Championship. The top seed will host the tournament on Nov. 18-19.