June 6, 2008

2008 Volleyball schedule

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Head coach Garvey Pierre has released the 2008 Siena volleyball schedule, a 30-match regular-season ledger that includes three in-season Tournaments and 18 conference matches. Siena will host the four-team 2008 MAAC Volleyball Championships November 22-23 on UHY Court inside the Alumni Recreation Center in Loudonville.

"I am pleased with the way the schedule came out," Pierre said. "We have some challenging matches at the beginning of the season, which will prepare us for Tournament play later in the year. We have established ourselves as the best team in the MAAC and the NCAA Tournament is now an expectation. With the players we have returning, we will aim to take the program to the next level this season."

Pierre and the Saints play the first third of their schedule away from home - a stretch highlighted by three early season Tournaments.

The year begins with a match against BIG EAST foe Seton Hall at the Hofstra Invitational on Long Island Friday, August 29. The following day, Siena will look to avenge a loss to the host Pride, the only defeat Siena suffered in last year's event.

The longest trip of the year takes the Saints to College Station, Texas September 5-6 as a participant in the four-team Texas A & M Invitational. Siena will tackle BYU and American University in addition to the host Aggies.

Tournament play concludes the following weekend in Syracuse, as Siena once again competes in the BIG Orange Tournament. The Saints will battle Army and Ohio, bookmarking a Saturday match with the host Orange. MAAC play begins in Western New York September 20 at Canisius, and the Saints take on Niagara the following day.

Siena's home season finally begins on September 24 against non-conference member Binghamton. The following weekend, the Saints host Iona and Manhattan.

The only other non-league matches on the schedule are at UAlbany (October 15), home against Syracuse (October 21) and home against Quinnipiac (October 29). Siena now plays each of the other nine MAAC schools twice as part of a revised schedule first implemented last season.

The highlight of MAAC play is always the matches with archrival Fairfield which Siena has bested in five games in the MAAC Championship match each of the last three seasons. The Saints and Stags square off Saturday, October 11 in Loudonville and Sunday, November 9 in Fairfield, Conn.

If the Saints are to earn a fourth consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament, they won't have to travel far as the MAAC championships return to UHY Court at the Alumni Recreation Center November 22-23 for the first time since 2004.

Siena has won three straight MAAC titles, advancing to the NCAA Tournament each time. The Saints have won at least 20 game sin each of the last three seasons as well, and return all but one starter this season, led by 2008 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Burgandy McCurty.