Men's Volleyball | 4/14/2022 11:05:00 AM

PITTSFORD, N.Y – Following the first United Volleyball Championship (UVC) in program history, the nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College men's volleyball team will make its first appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship. Fisher, which is ranked 10^th in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association national poll, will travel to host site Rutgers-Newark, to take on No. 7 Wentworth in the opening round of the tournament at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
 
Those unable to make the trip to the Newark can still take in all of the action by clicking the links below:
 
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PLEASE NOTE: Spectators must show proof of vaccination with matching ID. If you're unvaccinated, you need to show proof of a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the event. No masks are required. 
 
With that out of the way, check out some interesting facts and figures for this weekend's matchups.
 
VETERAN LEADERSHIP: While this may be the Cardinals' first trip to NCAAs, head coach Stephen England believes this team is primed for a deep run. 
 
"It's been a dream of ours since starting the program five years ago to make the NCAA tournament. We have a dedicated group of guys that are excited and ready to prove they deserve to be here."
 
Fifth-years David Cerqua and Paul Hackford, who have been in the program since its emergence in 2018, have developed into the team's leaders.
 
"I have seen these two develop into more than just teammates, they understand the role they play as leaders and have helped coach the younger guys over the course of the season," England stated on the importance of his veterans' leadership. 
 
The two athletes are more than just role models on the court as both Cerqua and Hackford were named to the UVC All-Tournament team following the championship victory last week. The duo will be a major factor in the upcoming matchup. 
 
TWIN TOWERS: The Cardinals explosive offense relies heavily on outside hitters, Josh Bigford and Jake Baker. Bigford, a two-time All-American and the AVCA's North Region Player of the Year in 2022, is one of the most talented hitters in Division III. The Cicero native, who became the first player in program history to eclipse 1000 kills, boasted 334 kills, along with a .322 attack percentage, 152 digs and 42 blocks. Bigford is a game wrecker alone, but when paired with fellow outside Baker, the duo is almost unstoppable. Baker, who had a breakout sophomore season and was named to the AVCA All-North Region team earlier this week, produced a team-high 354 kills as well as 133 digs, 46 blocks and 30 aces. The two outside hitters were among the most potent 1-2 punches in the UVC as Fisher's high-powered offense led the conference in numerous categories including kills, blocks and aces while its .282 hitting percentage ranked second in the UVC during the regular season. Expect to see Bigford and Baker make their presence known in Friday's contest. 
 
KEEP THE BALL ROLLING: England's squad is familiar with what it takes to compete against the best teams in the nation as Fisher had five victories over nationally-ranked opponents during the course of the season. The Cardinals come into the tournament with a record of 24-7 on the season and are on an eight-match winning streak that includes victories over No. 9 Vassar and No. 6 New Paltz. Fisher is one of three teams entering Newark with at least a five-game winning streak as Wentworth has been on a tear with a 13-game streak while Rutgers-Newark is on a five-game winning streak of its own. 
 
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Cardinals defense has been a difference maker for them this season and has been a key factor to them making it this far. Fisher's ability to limit the opposition's offense allows it to generate a productive attack. The Cardinals' defense finished with the most blocks and digs in the UVC and held their opponents to the lowest hitting percentage in the league at .157. All-American Cerqua, who ranks third in Division III history with 1,284 digs, is regarded as one of the best libero's in the nation. In his fifth season, the Baldwinsville native tallied 275 digs, leading the UVC with 2.52 digs per set. Another member who makes in impact on the defensive side of the net is Griffin Stella, who ranks first in the UVC with 96 blocks. Sophomore middle blocker Stella, has been a brick wall for Fisher, producing 20 more blocks than the next member of the Cardinals this year. Cerqua and Stella's defense has helped the Cardinals be known as one of the best defenses in the nation.
 
YOUNG TALENT: Baker and Stella won't be the only underclassmen making an impact in the upcoming game as Fisher will rely on the talented duo of freshmen in Evan Ingerick and Gavin Newman. Ingerick, who was named the UVC's Rookie of the Week twice this year, has stepped up during his first year with the program. In last week's UVC tournament, the setter finished two games with 59 assists and 16 digs, helping the Cardinals claim their first UVC Championship. Newman has been one of the best servers for the Cardinals this year as he tallied a remarkable 49 aces on the season and a team-high 0.53 aces per set. 
 
THE LEOPARDS DEN: One of the top volleyball schools in Division III, Wentworth is no newcomber when it comes to the NCAA tournament. This will be the team's fourth appearance in the tournament and second-straight after making the dance in 2021. The Leopards are have gone 1-1 in each of the last three tournament appearances including a victory over New Jersey City a year ago. 
 
SCOUTING WENTWORTH: The Leopards come into the tournament on a 13-match winning streak with 12 of those coming in straight sets. After defeating Lasell, 3-0, Wentworth earned its third Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship to punch its ticket. Head coach Evin Giglio's squad finished its season with an impressive record of 28-4 and 15-1 in the GNAC. 
 
Wentworth, which currently ranked seventh in the nation, boasts a very talented offense that sits third in the country in hitting percentage at .336, and 12^th in kills per set with 13.51. Outside hitter Jacob LaBouliere headlines the Leopards success, as the lanky sophomore finished the season with a team-high 391 kills to go along with 136 digs and 40 blocks. Right side Hunter Oshman will also be a player to watch as he produced 236 kills, 93 digs and 34 blocks. Seniors Phoenix Stebbins (L) and Connor Adams (S) are also expected to have an impact in the match.  
 
SCOUTING RUTGERS-NEWARK: The Scarlett Raiders will host this week's matchups after earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 3-1 win over Southern Virginia last week in the Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) Championship. The Scarlett Raiders will be entering with some experience as this will be the third trip for the program overall. The No. 5 team in the nation finished the 2022 season with an imposing record of 22-3 including a win over Fisher in early February. 
 
The Scarlett Knights are led by an offensive duo of Andrew Zaleck, who led the team with 292 kills, and Arvind Kumar, who notched 261 kills of his own this season. The two hitters produce almost 40% of the team's offense as they combine for over nine points per set. Derek Au is the team's talented setter, who comes into the match with 826 helpers to his name. Middle blocker Daniel Quay, is a force at the net as the big man tallied 70 blocks on the year, almost one per set. The Scarlett Knights will open the tournament on Friday as they take on Baruch at 4 p.m.
 
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