The Quinnipiac Bobcats (6-14 overall, 5-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) will take on Marist College (6-10 overall, 3-2 MAAC), in a MAAC showdown in Hamden Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Bobcats are putting a three-game home winning streak on the line tonight coming off a big win against Canisius on Sunday. Marist will try to bounce back after their recent loss to Iona College. This will be a rematch of the MAAC semifinal from last year, where the Bobcats won 3-1.
Players to Watch
Quinnipiac – Natalie Alechko (Sophomore Outside Hitter)
The sophomore had a career-best 25 kills in the win against Canisius this weekend, nine of them coming in the fifth set. Alechko now is the leader in kills on the team with 192 for the year. With senior Elizabeth Kloos and juniors Jen Coffey and Kat Miller all possibly out again with injuries, Alechko will need to step up yet again for the Bobcats and shine like she did this weekend. Quinnipiac will need Alechko, along with the other underclassmen, to show up big on Wednesday if they want a victory.
Marist – Nikki DeSerpa (Sophomore Outside Hitter)
DeSerpa has been the dominant offensive force that Marist’s needs. While Marist relies very much on their defense to shut down an opponent, their offense will need to be in top gear against Quinnipiac. DeSerpa leads the team in both points per set (3.42) and kills per set (2.98). She is also third in the conference in points per set (3.43). DeSerpa will be relied on to get the offense going for the Red Foxes.
Keys to the Game
Quinnipiac – Get the Ball Moving Quickly
Marist is a top defensive team. They lead the conference with an average of 1.96 blocks per set. This may be the top defensive team in the conference. However, Quinnipiac is one of the top offensive teams. They lead the conference in hitting percentage (.179) and are second in both assists per set (11.07) and kills per set (11.89). If Quinnipiac is able to move the ball quickly in system and get it to their hitters before Marist can get their blockers to the net, they will be able to control the game on the offensive side.
Marist – Take Advantage of the Youth
With the veteran stars of Quinnipiac possibly out again for the Bobcats, the Red Foxes need to take advantage of a court that’s filled with freshmen and sophomores. While the Bobcat youngsters were able to hold on against Canisius this weekend, relying solely on some inexperienced underclassmen for a second straight game may prove to be a problem. Marist needs to continue to play well defensively like they have all year. They also need get the offense going against the Bobcats to put pressure on the young Bobcats.
The Game
Be sure to tune into QBSN’s live broadcast of Quinnipiac vs. Marist from the Burt Kahn Court at 7 p.m. Wednesday. John Franklin and Bryan Murphy will be on the call. To receive updates on the game, follow @QBSN on Twitter, along with @HeyItsFranklin6 and @bryan_murphy10.
Link to the game: http://quinnipiacbobcats.com/watch/?Live=414&type=Live
