Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State volleyball team takes on Stevens and Catholic to wrap up the NYU Invitational Saturday.
 
GAME INFO
Montclair State will face in-state rival Stevens at 12:30 pm before taking on Catholic at 3 pm. Both matches will take place at NYU's Brooklyn location. Spectators are not permitted at the matches, but live stats and video links are available on montclairathletics.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Red Hawks (17-8, 6-1 NJAC) had their program-tying 13-match winning streak snapped by No. 13 NYU Friday evening. SKYLAR KOWALSKI and CARLY WATERMAN each tallied nine kills to lead the Red Hawks in the setback.
 
AWARD SEASON
GIANNA ARIAS was chosen as the NJAC Defensive Player of the Week after averaging 5.0 blocks and 5.5 kills in a 4-0 week. Arias also became just the fifth student-athlete in program history to record six solo blocks in a game and just the third to do it twice. In Saturday's five-frame thriller against host Hunter, she notched seven kills and six solo rejections in the victory. She capped off her week by tallying seven solo blocks in four sets against Mount St. Mary, helping the team close out the week.
 
TEAM LEADERS
Montclair State
Kills: CARLY WATERMAN, 276
Assists: DELANEY ST. PIERRE, 654
Digs: KATELYN MONAGHAN, 415
Aces: CARLY WATERMAN, 44
Blocks: GIANNA ARIAS, 77
 
Stevens
Kills: Liz Patterson, 210
Assists: Kathleen Reigner, 589
Digs: Elizabeth Chu, 422
Aces: Elizabeth Chu, 44
Blocks: Megan Dion, 68

Catholic
Kills: Brittany Connatser, 225
Assists: Mya Sullivan, 372
Digs: Caroline Kelly, 337
Aces: Mackenzie Collier, 29
Blocks: Grace Guerin, 61

STEVENS REPORT
The Ducks enter the match at 21-3 after having knocked off Catholic in five sets last night. Stevens is also a perfect 6-0 in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom after topping Lycoming in three-sets Wednesday evening. Cleo Shannon led the way with nine kills while Kathleen Reigner handed out 23 assists in the win.

CATHOLIC REPORT
The Cardinals are 5-21 this year after falling to Stevens last night. In the Landmark Conference, they are 1-3 on the year. They split a home tri-match last Friday, knocking off Cabrini in five sets before falling in Salisbury in five.
 
LAST MEETING
Montclair topped Stevens 3-0 in their last meeting on September 7, 2019. CARLY WATERMAN led the way with 17 digs, 12 kills, and five aces as the Red Hawks held Stevens to a .051 hitting percentage over the three sets. MSU and Catholic haven't met since October 1, 2004, where the Cardinals won 3-0. Sisters Tiffany and Heather Aciz combined for 18 kills in the setback.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Montclair is 6-10 all-time against Stevens and snapped an eight-match losing streak against the Ducks with their win in 2019. MSU began the series with wins in five of the first seven matches. The Red Hawks and Cardinals have only met three times previously, with Catholic holding a 2-1 edge. The lone victory came on October 1, 1999, winning 3-2 in a neutral site match held in Williamsport, Pa.

UP NEXT
The Red Hawks will visit New Jersey City University on Tuesday evening to close out New Jersey Athletic Conference play at 7 pm.