CCC Quarterfinals Sends #7 Volleyball to #2 Roger Williams Tuesday

SUFFOLK at ROGER WILLIAMS
Date Time Venue Video Stats Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Tuesday, Nov. 2 7:00 PM Rodgers Recreation Center Bristol, R.I. RWUHawks.com RWUHawks.com Trails, 0-17 Sept. 23, 2021, L, 3-1 Never L17

BOSTON – Suffolk volleyball's first-ever Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) post-season run is set to get underway tonight, Nov. 2, as the seventh-seeded Rams venture down to Bristol, Rhode Island, to take on the second-seeded Hawks of Roger Williams at 7 p.m.

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

2021 CCC WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Nov. 2
#8 University of New England at #1 Endicott – 7 PM
#7 Suffolk at #2 Roger Williams – 7 PM 
#6 Western New England at #3 Gordon – 7 PM
#5 Salve Regina at #4 Wentworth – 7 PM  

Semifinals – Thursday, Nov. 4
#1/8 Winner vs. #4/5 Winner 
#2/7 Winner vs. #3/6 Winner 

Championship – Saturday, Nov. 6
Semifinal Winners 

MORE INFO: CCC RELEASE | INTERACTIVE BRACKET | PRINTABLE BRACKET

RAMS IN THE POST-SEASON

• Suffolk's first-ever CCC tourney appearance is the Rams' 15th consecutive playoff eligible season the blue-and-gold will compete in.
• The Rams look to escape the quarterfinals for the third time in program history as it advance to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) semis twice, including its last post-season push back in 2019.
• Under Scott Blanchard's guidance, Suffolk is 2-2 all-time in post-season play with back-to-back semifinal runs.

LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk volleyball took a 2-0 lead, but could not close out the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) match as Salve Regina came back to win the five-set thriller Saturday afternoon at the Rodgers Recreation Center.  

MORE READING: Volleyball Falls in Five in Season Finale at Salve Regina

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk wrapped up the regular-season 11-16 overall and 3-6 in CCC contests. 

The Rams have been powered by freshman McKenna Keowen offensively as the outside hitter provides a team-best 3.49 kps on a .209 attack percentage. Keowen and the rest of Suffolk's 10.27 kps offense is set up by Harmony Johnson's and Jayla Martinez' 5.26 and 3.38 assists per set, respectively. Morgan Kelsey is a threat at the service line, producing nearly 1.00 ace per set with 0.96 to her credit. 

Defensively, Kenzley Bell's 3.94 dps leads the way. Kelsey (2.56 dps) and Keowen (2.42 dps) are consistent contributors to the defense as well with Alina Nowakowski's 0.70 bps pacing the back at the net.

HAVE TO KNOW 'BOUT THE HAWKS
Since picking up its first win of the season over Suffolk Sept. 23, Roger Williams compiled a 9-10 overall record and 7-2 league ledger for the second seed in the CCC post-season. 

RWU's 11.7 kps attack sees 3.92 kps from Katherine Pickard and 2.20 by Kristen Dansereau. Kate Porter has set up the offense with 9.54 aps. Jaime Gaffga leads the defense with 4.65 dps with Porder and Jasmine Babbitt 2.68 dps and 0.87 bps, respectively.

WE MEET AGAIN
On a historic night in Suffolk volleyball history, senior captain Harmony Johnson became the fifth player to dish out 1,000 assists, and the Rams began a new era competing in their first-ever Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) contest against Roger Williams. The Hawks proved to be too much for the blue-and-gold, however, to spoil the league debut for Suffolk, 3-1, behind set scores of 25-18, 17-25, 25-16 and 25-20.  

MORE READING: Roger Williams Ruins Volleyball's CCC Opener in Four Frames

INSIDE THE SERIES

• The Suffolk, Roger Williams series started in 1998.
• The Rams have yet to take down the Hawks to trail the all-time series, 0-17.
• Suffolk last met RWU, Sept. 23, 2021 in the Rams' CCC debut. The Hawks swept the blue-and-gold in that battle in Boston.
• Seven matches have been played in Boston (0-7), five in Bristol, Rhode Island (0-5) and five at neutral sites (0-5).
• Nine matches have been decided in straight sets, four in Boston, and three with the Rams as the true away team and two at neutral sites.
• Six outings were four set decisions. Two came away and at a neutral site, respectively, with a pair of 3-1 contests in Beantown as well including the last meeting Sept. 23, 2021.
• Just two battles went the distance. One was played at RUW and the other was at a neutral site.

EYES ON THE MATCH

RAMS RECOGNITION
McKenna Keowen of the Suffolk volleyball team garnered her third straight and fifth overall Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Rookie of the Week title, the league office announced Monday afternoon. The recognition comes on the heels of a 2-1 week for the Rams where the freshman averaged 4.18 kills and 3.55 digs per set.  

MORE READING: Keowen Threepeats as CCC Rookie of the Week 

WHAT'S NEXT?
The winner of Tuesday's tilt advances to the semifinals and will take on the victor over the No. 1 Endicott, No. 8 University of New England quarterfinals match Thursday, Nov. 4 at the higher seed.