Volleyball Closes Nonconference Play With ODU & UMES

Thursday, September 19

Norfolk, Va.

6 p.m.

Rutgers University

Old Dominion

Aly Borellis on the set in Rutgers volleyball's sweep of VCU at Jersey Mike's Arena

Photo by: Tom Gilbert

Volleyball Closes Nonconference Play With ODU & UMES

Sep 17 | Women's Volleyball

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers volleyball team is gearing up for its final nonconference weekend traveling to the ODU Volleyball Center in Norfolk, Virginia to play host Old Dominion at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and UMES in a neutral site match up at 3:00 p.m. on Friday.

Volleyball game week with ODU & UMES preview graphic featuring Lexi Visintine

GAME DAY INFO

Venue:	ODU Volleyball Center \| Norfolk, Va.
Game Notes:	Rutgers \| ODU \| UMES
Statistics:	Rutgers \| ODU \| UMES \| Big Ten
Schedule:	Thursday, Sept. 19 vs. ODU - 6:00 p.m. Video (ESPN +) \| Live Stats Friday, Sept. 20 vs. UMES - 3:00 p.m. Live Stats
Social Media:	Facebook \| X \| Instagram

ABOUT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

RU continues to trend upward as it takes the court for Caitlin Schweihofer's fifth season "On The Banks". The Scarlet Knights, in each season in Schweihofer's tenure, have taken a step up on the ladder of success with the squad anticipating moving up another rung behind eight returnees and eight newcomers.
Rutgers heads into its final nonconference weekend coming off its fourth sweep of the season and second on the new court at Jersey Mike's Arena against VCU.
Around the Big Ten, two Scarlet Knight freshman are leaving their mark ranked among the top 10 in a pair of statistical categories. Natalie Robinson, who totaled 16 blocks over three games last weekend, is currently fifth in blocks per set. Lily Bolen, meanwhile, is seventh in service aces, which includes her four aces against Little Rock marking the ninth most in a five-set match in RU history.
On the list of last year's notables was Rutgers' first-ever All-Big Ten attacker in Alissa Kinkela, first-ever top 25 victory, the most overall wins and best nonconference record since 2012, a set win improvement by 45% over the previous season and a school record in attendance. Altogether the Scarlet Knights placed 12 entries into the rally-era individual season top 10 records and 13 entries into the rally-era team top 10 records while collecting the most sets played, kills, assists, assists per set, digs and solo blocks by a team in conference play since joining the Big Ten in 2014.
Junior Ally Borellis, sophomore middle Zora Hardison, who started the last 10 matches of the season in the middle and sophomore libero Kenzie Dyrstad were invited to the U.S. women's National Team Open Program marking the second-straight year a trio of Scarlet Knights have represented Rutgers at the event.

LOOKING AT LAST WEEK

Rutgers went 2-1 last week serving up a pair of sweeps in its first home appearance in 2024 in straight-set wins against LIU and VCU.
In their 2024 Jersey Mike's Arena debut, the Scarlet Knights took a bite out of the LIU Sharks 25-18, 25-22 and 25-11. LIU's 11 third-set points tied for the fewest by an RU opponent this season. Lily Bolen made her home debut with her first career double-double behind 13 assists and 11 digs, while Alissa Kinkela led the attack with 15 kills hitting .343 on the night. Also in a Jersey Mike's debut was Natalie Robinson making six blocks to go along with five kills. Kenzie Dyrstad added a team-high 14 digs.
Kinkela captured her first double-double of the season in a setback to Binghamton. In the eighth double-double of her career, Kinkela collected 13 kills and 11 digs to go along with four blocks. Avery Jesewitz was also in double-figure kills tying her season high with 11. Zora Hardison made a game- and season-high six blocks while Dyrstad came up with 11 digs for the defense.
It was back to the win column against VCU as Lexi Visintine was just shy of a double-double with 11 kills and nine digs. Kinkela added nine kills on 22 swings to hit at a .409 clip. Robinson, meanwhile, made a game-high six stops at the net.
On the week, Kinkela averaged 4.11 kills per frame while Aly Borellis averaged 5.67 assists per game in directing the attack. Visintine totaled seven aces. Defensively, Robinson totaled 16 blocks followed by Kinkela with 12 and Dyrstad collected 3.44 digs per set.

SCOUTING ODU

Old Dominion enters the match with an 8-2 overall record after a 3-0 weekend giving the Monarchs a five-game winning streak. ODU topped Navy in straight sets, defeated Quinnipiac 3-1 and came from behind to top host George Mason 3-2.
Offensively, the Monarchs are led by senior Myah Conway with 3.13 k/s alongside sophomore Elisa Maggi with 2.61 k/s. Freshman Elisabeth Levick has driven the team ahead with 4.83 a/s.
Defensively, sophomore Kate Kilpatrick leads the team with 3.18 d/s, and redshirt LeeAnne Lowery tops the score sheet with 1.13 blocks per set.

SCOUTING UMES

The Hawks sit at 4-4 overall heading into this week's matches at ODU. UMES snapped a four-match slide coming back from a first-set loss against Iona for a 3-1 win. After a three-set loss to UNC Asheville, the Hawks rebounded with a five-set victory over Hampton.
Leading the attack for UMES is Nkemijka Ikemefuna and Ranyla Griggs at 2.67 k/s and 2.60 k/s respectively. Griggs also leads her squad with eight aces. Anisa Doriouis, meanwhile, is putting up 5.13 a/s and is also second on the team with seven aces.
At the net, Anjola Omolewa has posted 21 blocks, including 11 solo stops. Valeria Matias is coming up with 3.80 d/s.

RUTGERS ON THE RISE

In Caitlin Schweihofer's first season, played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19, the Scarlet Knights tripled its conference win total en route to capturing numerous program firsts. Among the team's first were its first-ever All-Big Ten honoree and Big Ten series sweeps. The Scarlet Knights won their first-ever Big Ten home opener, earned victories over Indiana and Michigan State for the first time in history, captured two series sweeps against Maryland and Michigan State, picked up set victories against No. 4 Nebraska and No. 10 Purdue and pushed No. 19 Ohio State to five sets and match point. RU established new team, season and match records for aces and reset program Big Ten game bests in kills, attempts, attack percentage and assists, as well as individual conference superlatives in attack percentage, assists and digs.
Returning to fall ball for the 2021 season only three and a half months after the conclusion of the Big Ten-only 2020 season, Rutgers continued to make strides going 8-3 for its best nonconference record since 2012. During the season the Scarlet Knights battled eight Top 25 teams during Big Ten play, a conference that sent eight teams to the NCAA Tournament, including the year's national champion. Rutgers captured set wins over No. 8 Purdue and No. 15 Penn State and took Illinois to five sets in front of a national audience on BTN. Inna Balyko wrapped up her career fifth all-time in assists and ninth all-time in block assists, while Kamila Cieslik became the rally era leader in matches played (132) and Beka Kojadinovic concluded her career as the rally era leader in aces.
More success continued in 2022 as the Scarlet Knights opened the year at 3-0 for the first time since 1998 and battled eight Top 25 teams during Big Ten play and eight teams that advanced to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. During the nonconference schedule, four Scarlet Knights were named to All-Tournament squads while altogether Rutgers had 11 entries among the rally-era season leaders list.
Another step up the ladder occurred last year as the Scarlet Knights earned their first-ever All-Big Ten attacker, captured their first-ever top 25 victory, collected the most overall wins and best nonconference record since 2012, improved set wins by 45% over the previous season and set a school record in attendance. RU placed 12 entries into the rally-era individual season top 10 records and 13 entries into the rally-era team top 10 records while collecting the most sets played, kills, assists, assists per set, digs and solo blocks by a team in conference play since joining the Big Ten in 2014.

UP NEXT

Rutgers volleyball kicks off Big Ten play with both games next week featured on BTN.
The Scarlet Knights begin the conference slate hosting Iowa on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. with Chris Vosters and Mac Podraza on BTN. Admission to all home games is free.
RU will also visit Michigan on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 5 p.m. with Chris Vosters and Elena Shklyar on the call with BTN.

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