Riverdale, N.Y. – The College of Mount Saint Vincent Women's Volleyball team will open the 2012 season on Friday evening when it plays host to non-conference foe Keystone. The initial contest of the season for the Dolphins, who were selected seventh in the Skyline Preseason Poll, is set to get underway at 6:00 p.m. at the Peter Jay Sharp Center.
The Dolphins will return a two of their top four in kills in 2012 in
Kristine DeMasi (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Morgane Booker (East Providence, R.I.). DeMasi closed out the 2011 season second on the squad in kills with 145 and paced the team in kills per set with 1.84. DeMasi also racked up 35 service aces, 212 defensive digs and 10 total blocks as a junior.
Booker also had a strong season for the Mount, as she led the way with 53 total blocks in 85 sets played. Booker also finished fourth on the team in kills with 131 and totaled 24 aces to go along with 56 digs.
Mount Saint Vincent will also look to get contributions from
Designa Correa (Bronx, N.Y.) who finished 2011 with 81 digs,
Madeleine Garaicoa (Glendale, N.Y.) who totaled 83 digs and
Amanda Morenzi (Queens, N.Y.) who handed out 29 assists and lifted 32 digs in her first season with the Dolphins.
Although returning a strong core of players in 2012, the Dolphins graduated three of their most productive players in 2011.
Jessica Williams paced the team in kills with 146 and also lifted 174 digs, while
Maureen Metzner totaled 142 kills and led the team with 64 aces and finished the season second on the squad with 356 digs.
Possibly the biggest loss for the Dolphins following the 2011 season is
Renee Reynes, who was a two-time First Team All-Skyline Conference selection and a Second Team ECAC All-Star at libero. Reynes led the Skyline Conference in digs as a senior with 570 and rounded out her career with 1,844 digs and a per set average of 6.03. She also wrapped up her career with 75 kills, 97 assists and 95 service aces.
Keystone will also be playing their first match of the season on Friday and is coming off a 2011 year that saw it post a 3-17 overall record. Shelby Morgan returns as the team leader with 123 kills a season ago and was second with 128 digs. Also returning in 2012 is Lisa Ostraner who paced the Giants in 2011 with 42 service aces.
The Mount closed out 2011 with a 10-20 overall record under first year head coach Meghan Flaherty '08 and posted a 4-5 mark in Skyline Conference play. The Dolphins earned the sixth seed in the league tournament where they were defeated in three sets by NYU-POLY.