Volleyball to Battle at Brandeis in 2021 Season Debut

SUFFOLK at BRANDEIS
Date Time Venue Video Stats Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Wednesday, Sept. 1 6:00 PM Red Auerbach Arena Waltham, Mass. BrandeisJudges.com GoSuffolkRams.com Suffolk Trails, 2-0 2005, L, 3-0 Never L2

BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball pulls the curtain back on its 2021 campaign at Brandeis Wednesday, Sept. 1. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Red Auerbach Arena in Waltham, Massachusetts.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

SUFFOLK ATHLETICS 2021-22 FAN POLICY
Suffolk University Athletics, following guidance from the University's health and safety protocols, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), Centers for Disease Control and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, plans to allow fans to attend home athletic contests during the 2021-22 academic and athletic year.

Fans, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, can attend games. They must be masked the entire time they are on campus, pursuant to institutional policy, and complete a health screening form at the security desk of each building upon arrival. This policy applies to home contests played on campus at the Ridgeway Building's Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court, as well as the Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink and the Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.

For outdoor outings, specifically at East Boston Memorial Park, fans are asked to respect COVID safety protocols. At this time, masks will not be mandated for fans no matter vaccinated status at outdoor venues.

MORE READING: Suffolk Athletics Announces Fan Policy for 2021-22

RAMS REWIND
Suffolk put together the program's winningest season in 2019, 20-12. That 20-win season featured hosting rights for the GNAC Quarterfinals, which the blue-and-gold won in straight set fashion, also a first in the Rams' record books.  

Freshman standouts two years ago, Kenzley Bell and Harmony Johnson, have grew into the experienced upperclassmen quickly after last season was derailed due to COVID-19. Each were consistently in Suffolk's line-up. Johnson set-up the Rams' 10.41-kill offense with 8.20 assists per set en route to becoming the program's first New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) All-Rookie Team honoree. Bell, meanwhile, added 3.44 digs per set to the blue-and-gold's defensive unit. 

RAMS RINGLEADERS
Kenzley Bell and Harmony Johnson will share leadership responsibilities as the junior duo have been named co-captains for the 2021 campaign. 

MORE READING: Bell, Johnson Tabbed Volleyball's Captains for 2021

RAMS ROOKIES
Following a year away from action, head coach Scott Blanchard has unveiled that a dozen members of Suffolk's Class of 2025 will add depth to the Rams' volleyball roster for the 2021 campaign. 

MORE READING: Dozen Added to Volleyball's Roster for 2021

SUFFOLK'S SOPHOMORES
Suffolk's true freshmen will not be the only Rams' rookies this season as the Class of 2024 -- Madison Amaral, Lauren Harper, Jasmine James, Liv Sargent and Emily Wheeler -- had their first-years derailed due to COVID-19.

GEOGRAPHY 101
Suffolk's 21 players represent nine states. The core of the Rams are Massachusetts natives with 10 student-athletes hailing from the Bay State. A pair represents California, Colorado and New Hampshire with George, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico and Pennsylvania each sending one student-athlete to Suffolk.

CLASS CATEGORIES
Suffolk's squad hails from each of the four classes anchored by the dozen true freshmen. Five members are sophomores with a trio of juniors and one sole senior.

COACH'S CORNER
Scott Blanchard burst onto the scene at Suffolk and made an immediate impact as the Rams head coach, leading the blue-and-gold to its first-ever GNAC semifinal run in program history in his first season in 2018.

He upstaged that bout a year later as the master mind to the winingest team in the Rams' record books with a 20-12 overall record. That season included the team's first-ever home court post-season win and second straight trip to the GNAC semis.

The fourth-year head coach welcomes back Sarah Hollis, with former Ram, Ashley Fahey, joining the coaching staff as a graduate assistant.

LIFT THE LID

• In 2019, the Rams swept Maine Presque Isle in their debut to capture the first season-opening win in the Scott Blanchard era.
• Suffolk will look to win back-to-back season openers for the first time since 2016-17 and first under Blanchard's guidance.
• Overall, the Rams are 7-10 on day one of the year dating back to 2003.
• Suffolk hits the road for its first match of the campaign for the first time under Blanchard's leadership and first time since 2015 when the Rams battled at Gordon (L, 3-0).
• Since 2003, the blue-and-gold is 1-8 in season openers when playing away from home. The Rams last win in its first match of the year as the true away time game at Mass. Maritime in four sets in 2017.
• If the first match has extended longer than three sets, Suffolk has come out victorious with 1-0 ledgers in both four and five set decisions since 2003. In straight set openers in the last 17 seasons, the blue-and-gold is 5-10.

WATCH AND SEE

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
With the season just over a week away, the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) unveiled its preseason poll with Suffolk projected to finish eighth following a vote by the 10 head coaches.

MORE READING: Volleyball Selected Eighth in CCC Preseason Poll

BRANDEIS BITS
Brandeis assembled a 4-23 record in 2019 with wins over Westfield State (3-0), Worcester State (3-0), WPI (3-1) and Rochester (3-2).  

Most of the line-up from two years ago will be back once again including Belle Scott (2.46 kps) and Kaisa Newberg, who supplied 2.46 kps and 2.00 kps to the team's 9.95 kills per set offensive output. With 4.90 dps Kaitlyn Oh led the defensive effort, which saw 2.32 dps from Scott and 2.18 dpg from Amelia Oppenheimer.  

Just four newcomers join the 10 returning Judges for the upcoming campaign. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Since 2003, Suffolk and Brandeis have met just twice, both of which came at neutral sites. 
• The Judges swept the Rams in both outings including the last meeting in 2005. 

EYES ON THE GAME

SIGHTS & SOUNDS: 2021 FALL MEDIA DAY

COMING UP
Suffolk remains on the road for its first tri-match of 2021. The Rams head to New London, Connecticut, Saturday, Sept. 4 where they will take on Husson at 1 p.m., prior to tangling with the host Albertus Magnus at 3 p.m.