Riverdale, N.Y. – Alyssa Kaufman will coach her first collegiate match when she leads the College of Mount Saint Vincent Women's Volleyball program in a pair of non-conference matches on Friday at the Vassar Invitational. The Dolphins will take on Ramapo and the host Brewers on Friday before closing the event with matches against MIT and New Paltz on Saturday. Live stats and video for Friday's contests are available with live stats for Saturday available here.
 
Mount Saint Vincent is coming off an 8-18 2013 season, but finished at 6-3 against Skyline Conference opponents to claim the fourth seed in the league tournament. The Dolphins hosted Mount Saint Mary in the event, falling to the Knights 3-0 to close the season.
 
The Dolphins bring back a strong core of returning players from last year's team, including First Team All-Skyline Conference selection Ashleigh Scozzari (New Rochelle, N.Y.). As a sophomore, Scozzari finished second on the team in kills with 182 and first on the squad in kills per set at just over three per stanza. She also paced the Dolphins in total blocks per set at 0.55, finishing second on the team in total blocks with 33.
 
Mount Saint Vincent also returns sophomore and 2013 Second Team All-League selection Maria Leineweber (Waimanalo, Hawaii). As a freshman Leineweber paced the Dolphins in kills with 210 and total blocks with 34. She also finished second on the team in digs with 208 and in service aces with 44.


Junior Zana Daluz (Pawtucket, R.I.) returns after leading Mount Saint Vincent in three statistical categories in 2013. Daluz paced the Mount in assists with 495, service aces with 53 and digs with 216. Daluz also closed out her sophomore season fourth on the team with 17 total blocks.
 
The Mount will also welcome back sophomores Ana Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y.) and Nichole Riehm (Irvington, N.Y.) as well as juniors Shannon Walsh (Yonkers, N.Y.), Erika Moncada (Yonkers, N.Y.), Jennifer Roman (Queens Village, N.Y.) and Rachel Gabriel (Yonkers, N.Y.) in 2014. Moncada rounded out the 2013 season with 45 kills, 12 service aces and 129 digs, while Roman finished the season third on the team in digs with 179.

Kaufman will look to her freshman class for immediate impact in 2014. The newcomers include Melanie Escoto (LaGrange, N.Y.), Kristine Javier (Fair Lawn, N.J.), Nicole Henderson (Bergenfield, N.J.) and Jane Greer (Bronx, N.Y.).
 
Following four matches over the weekend in Poughkeepsie, N.Y, the Dolphins will play two non-conference contests at Ramapo on September 12 and a road match at New Rochelle on September 16 before opening the home schedule on September 18 against Cooper Union.