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Volleyball Opens BIG EAST Play This Week
9/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
PROVIDENCE (4-10, 0-0) at SETON HALL (10-3, 0-0)
Walsh Gym - South Orange, N.J.
7:00 p.m.
Live Video Stream: CLICK HERE
Live Stats:
Radio: CLICK HERE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2014
SETON HALL (10-3, 0-0) at VILLANOVA (7-8, 0-0)
Jake Nevin Field House - Villanova, Pa.
7:00 p.m.
Live Video Stream: CLICK HERE
Live Stats:
PREVIEW
With the vast majority of its non-conference schedule in the rear-view mirror, the Seton Hall women's volleyball team will enter BIG EAST Conference play this week. The Pirates will host Providence on Wednesday and travel to Villanova on Saturday.
Seton Hall is coming off a sweep of the Seton Hall Classic, its first tournament win in four tries this season. The Pirates swept Fordham on Friday, Dartmouth on Saturday, and then came back from down two sets to stun Middle Tennessee State in the finale on Saturday evening. Shelbey Manthorpe was named Seton Hall Classic Most Valuable Player as she tallied a double-double against Dartmouth and recorded a career-high 53 assists vs. Middle Tennessee State. Amanda Hansen and Molly Grammer joined Manthorpe on the All-Tournament Team.
Seton Hall has again emerged as the BIG EAST's top defensive team, leading the conference in blocks per set, digs per set and opponent hitting percentage. Ashani Rubin ranks second in the BIG EAST with 1.33 blocks per set, while Amanda Hansen ranks fourth with 1.20 blocks per set. Tessa Fournier is second in the conference with 4.74 digs per set, while Stacey Manthorpe is 10th with 3.71.
The Pirates will open conference play with Providence on Wednesday. The Friars are newcomers to the BIG EAST Conference as volleyball members in 2014 after spending the last 12 years in the American East Conference. Providence is coming off a 12-20 season and has won four of its first 14 games so far in 2014. The Friars lost the first nine matches of the year, but rebounded with a four-match win streak before falling in their last match to Hartford in five sets on Saturday. Seton Hall has won just nine of 22 prior meetings with Providence, but the teams haven't met since a Pirates' sweep on Oct. 26, 2002. Providence was predicted to finish 10th in the BIG EAST by its coaches in the preseason poll.
Villanova will open the BIG EAST portion of their schedule on Wednesday vs. St. John's. To date, the Wildcats are 7-8 and are coming off a four-set win over LaSalle on Saturday. Last season, Villanova went 12-17 overall and missed the BIG EAST Tournament. The Pirates swept the season series, winning in five sets in Walsh Gym and four sets on the road. The Wildcats lead the all-time series, 22-12. Villanova was predicted to finish seventh in the 10-team BIG EAST by its coaches in the preseason poll.
TOP SETON HALL NOTES
SETON HALL CLASSIC
By going 3-0 at the Seton Hall Classic, the Pirates won their first tournament in four tries this season. Seton Hall had lost exactly once in each of the prior three events to begin the season. The Hall swept both Fordham and Dartmouth, and rallied from a two-set deficit to stun Middle Tennessee State in the finale.
SHELBEY'S HONOR ROLL
Senior Shelbey Manthorpe was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Sept. 22. Manthorpe was named Seton Hall Classic Most Valuable Player. In the first match on Sept. 20, Manthorpe tallied a double-double with a match-high 27 assists and 17 digs vs. Dartmouth. In the nightcap vs. Middle Tennessee State, she recorded a career-high 53 assists to go with nine digs, six kills and four blocks. The Pirates' setter connected on .318 of her attacks over the three games.
FOUR STRAIGHT
For the second time this season, Seton Hall has won four straight matches to run its overall record to 10-3. Seton Hall swept St. Francis (Pa.) in the finale of the West Virginia Invitational and then won all three matches of the Seton Hall Classic.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
With the Pirates' sweep of the Seton Hall Classic, they earned three spots on the All-Tournament Team. Amanda Hansen, Molly Grammer and Shelbey Manthorpe all received recognition. Manthorpe was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
BIG EAST OPENERS
Seton Hall will open the BIG EAST portion of its schedule on Sept. 24 vs. Providence. The Pirates are just 10-17 all-time in conference openers. Last season, Seton Hall lost in five sets at St. John's in its first BIG EAST match of the 2013 season. The Pirates are just 111-167 all-time in BIG EAST Conference matches.
DIG LEADERS
On Wednesday, Seton Hall's match with Providence will feature the two top digging defenders in the BIG EAST. The Friars' Michelle Cruz leads the conference with 5.17 digs per set, while the Pirates' Tessa Fournier is second at 4.74 digs per set.
