The College of Staten Island women’s volleyball team is getting set for their final trimatch of the season, traveling to Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY, to take on both Sarah Lawrence College and Lehman College in two non-conference matches beginning at 11am.  It will be their first match against the Gryphons and their second against Lehman.

CSI vs SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE / LEHMAN COLLEGE
Matchup:  CSI (5-15)  vs. Sarah Lawrence (9-11) / vs. Lehman (5-18)
Where: Campbell Sports Center – 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY
All-Time Series: Sarah Lawrence leads 5-3 / Lehman leads 34-8-1
Last Meeting: vs. SLC – October 15, 2016 – CSI won 3-2 / vs. Lehman – October 9, 2017 – CSI won 3-1
Players to Watch (CSI):  The Dolphins continue to be paced by Caitlin Esposito’s 112 kills, while Teresa Maresca follows and is closing in on triple-digits with 88 on the season.  Maresca is the primary force behind the service line, tallying 44 this season, followed by Vanessa Reyes’ 35.  Reyes is also second on the squad with 158 digs, trailing only libero Cassidy Iannariello who sports 204.  The main force in the middle defensively is freshman Margaret O’Malley-Rebovich, who leads the way with a total of 35 blocks this season.
Players to Watch (SLC):  The Gryphons have a pair of primary attackers, led by Melanie Coleman who sports a team high with 199 kills this season to go with 43 aces, which also leads the team.  Francesca LaRocca is next in line with 137 kills and adds 37 aces, also second on the unit.  On the back line look for Camryn Sanchez to hold things down with 182 digs, along with Lauren Kilroy who sports 136.  Coleman is once again the leader at the top defensively, with 18 total blocked shots, including 14 solo.
Players to Watch (LC):  Caitlin Vernon is tough at the top, tallying 116 kills, 31 better than Francesca Acevedo who is next in line with 85 kills.  Samantha Delgado sports 34 aces behind the service line, trailing Paulette Sepulveda who leads the squad with 44 while leading the way with 213 digs.  Delgado is next with 118.  Vernon leads all with 26 blocks, 14 solo.
News & Notes:  CSI has losing records against both of these teams but are coming off of wins against both the last time they’ve played.  After losing the first three games in the series to SLC, CSI has since won three of the last five, including the last meeting last year in a wild, 3-2, match in Staten Island.  CSI is just 1-4 against Sarah Lawrence on SLC’s home court, and will try to win there for the first time since 2008.  These two teams share five common opponents this season and both teams are 2-3 against them.  The scores have been identical for all the matches save for two.  Against Cedar Crest, CSI fell 3-1, but SLC lost 3-0.  Against Brooklyn, SLC fell 3-1, while CSI lost 3-0.  SLC is 4-5 at home this season while CSI is 1-7 on the road.  As far as Lehman is concerned CSI scored a historic win the last time around against them, beating them for the first time at home in the regular season since 1989 earlier this year at the Sports & Recreation Center.  Prior to that, Lehman had won the last 14 meetings.  Today is the 11th time the teams are meeting at a neutral site.  Lehman is 8-1-1 all-time against CSI when that happens.  The Dolphins are 1-1 in neutral site games this season, while the Lightning are 1-3.