Women's Volleyball Kicks Off 2011 Season with Blazers Challenge

2011 Blazers Challenge

Location: Picknelly Arena (Chicopee, Mass.)
Click here for directions to Elms College

Friday, Sept. 2 Schedule (two courts)
4:00 p.m. Matches
Court 1: Elms College vs. Husson University - Click here for live stats
Court 2: SUNY Cobleskill vs. Mass. Maritime Academy

6:00 p.m. Matches
Court 1: Elms College vs. Mass. Maritime Academy - Click here for live stats
Court 2: SUNY Cobleskill vs. Husson University

Saturday, Sept. 3 Schedule (one court)
10:00 a.m. Match
Mass. Maritime vs. Husson University - Click here for live stats

12:00 p.m. Match
Elms College vs. SUNY Cobleskill - Click here for live stats

Scouting the Blazers
2010 Overall Record: 7-20
2010 Conference Record: 3-4 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC)
2011 Overall Record: 0-0
Notes: Elms was selected to finish sixth in the 2011 NECC Preseason Poll. The Blazers return three all-conference selections from last season's squad including 2010 NECC Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-NECC member Ashley Fuller (Amherst, Mass.). Joining the sophomore setter on last season's second team were senior outside hitters Jennifer Rego (Fall River, Mass.) and Stacy Croteau (Agawam, Mass.).

Scouting the Eagles
2010 Overall Record: 19-6
2010 Conference Record: 5-1 North Atlantic Conference (NAC)
2011 Overall Record: 0-0
Notes: Husson returns five starters from its 2010 team and will look to continue its playoff appearance streak. The Eagles will be looking to their two captains, Rachel Voicechovski (Westerly, R.I.) and Michelle Smith (New Boston, N.H.) to lead the squad to its fifth consecutive NAC championship title match.

Scouting the Buccaneers
2010 Overall Record: 1-24
2010 Conference Record: 0-6 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)
2011 Overall Record: 0-0
Notes: Mass. Maritime will be led by Victoria Presutti (Marshfield, Mass.) who returns for her final season after leading the team in kills (86) while ranking second in digs (94) and service aces (18). Suzanne Marino (Kings Park, N.Y.) lends additional experience in the lineup, as she collected 69 kills while leading the squad in digs (123) and total blocks (16).

Scouting the Fighting Tigers
2010 Overall Record: 9-21
2010 Conference Record: 2-6 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Northern Division
2011 Overall Record: 0-0
Notes: SUNY Cobleskill welcomes back three key returners and several talented new additions under head coach Scott Hill who has his charges ready for the new season which will be his ninth directing the orange and black attack. The returners will be led by Brooke Burke (Lansing, N.Y.) who averaged 1.96 kills and 1.86 digs per set to go with 27 service aces.