The Geneseo volleyball team has started SUNYAC play off strong, going 2-1 in their first weekend. They not only defeated SUNY Plattsburgh and Buffalo State, but they even took a match away from powerhouse SUNY New Paltz in a losing effort.
The Knights have been working diligently on and off the floor—and the effort is definitely noticeable when it comes time to play. As the Knights have a little under a month left, there are some statistics and numbers that really stand out about Geneseo's recent play.
Geneseo has 11 returning upperclassmen on the team, all of whom are key components to the Knights’ success thus far. These players have been leaders with their solid play, especially senior middle blockers Paige Pendleton and Paige O'Connor and juniors Tricia Baxley, Danielle Sayler, Emma Lannon and Courtney Cleary—all of them have come up big in the past games to push the Knights into playoff condition. The Knights will look for these players’ veteran savvy and experience in the second half of the season—they have been involved in the playoff push for over two seasons and know what it takes to win.
The Knights are currently third in the SUNYAC. Geneseo is tied with SUNY Fredonia and SUNY Oneonta. At the top of the conference are SUNY Brockport and New Paltz—both with perfect 3-0 records. Geneseo will play Brockport and Oneonta on Oct. 9 and 10 respectively. This will give the Knights a chance to get some quality wins on the road and to take the number one spot in the standings.
The Knights have made 644 kills so far this season—meaning they are getting extra chances on the offensive end and are capitalizing on their opportunities to put points on the board. Pendleton leads the way with 140 kills while Cleary is second with 117. Senior Lizzy Morton and Baxley have contributed 106 and 92 kills respectively. These four together have a combined 455 of the team’s 644 kills, so it is easy to see where the main contributions have come from.
The Knights are looking for their first SUNYAC championship in program history. They have all the tools they need to be successful—bringing home a title would be monumental for not only the team, but also the future of the program. The Knights have a strong chance to hoist the trophy in November, but the road to the championship will not be easy.
The Knights will square off next against Alfred State College at Houghton College on Saturday Oct. 3 at 1 p.m.