BEVERLY, Mass. (April 21, 2017)  - After receiving an at-large bid to the 2017 NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championships, the seventh-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology Men's Volleyball team is ready for its opening-round match with Endicott College.

"Our matchup against Endicott is an interesting one as they come into the tournament playing really well," assistant coach Amable Martinez said. "We played them earlier in the season and it was a back-and-forth match that went five sets and was highly competitive. I believe the NCAA tournament match will be determined by the team that controls the net and is able to establish themselves defensively."

"I thought that last time out, we were really successful in dictating the pace of play," head coach Patrick Dorywalski added. "Obviously, Endicott is playing much better than we faced them earlier in the year, but then again, so are we. I think we are focused on the task at hand and I expect our players to come out ready to play."

"I think that experience certainly helps us," Dorywalski added. "Our veteran players have been to the NCAAs before and know what to expect and how to prepare for these types of matches."

The Particulars

• Match Day: Saturday, April 22
• Match Time: 1:00 p.m.
• Coverage: Live Video | Live Stats | Facebook Live
• Last Time We Met: Stevens defeated Endicott, 3-2, on February 4, as part of the Wentworth Tri-Match (Box Score | Recap). The Ducks have won 11 straight matchups with the Gulls dating back to the 2003 season.
• The Records: Stevens: 29-5; Endicott: 21-10

From The Pond

• Stevens arrives in the NCAA Tournament off a 29-win campaign, the tenth season of more than 25 victories under Patrick Dorywalski. Led by All-United Volleyball Conference First Team outside Gabe Shankweiler, and Second Team All-UVC freshman David Lehman, Stevens ranked 11th nationally in kills per set (12.16) and fourth in hitting percentage (0.306).
• Junior middle Thomas Burrell pairs with senior Jordan Stuart to form a potent tandem at the net. As a team, the Ducks rank sixth in the country in blocks (2.29), with Burrell ranks fourth (1.13). 
• Stevens ranked first in the UVC in hitting percentage, while forcing its opponents into a 0.152 attack percentage. Sophomore Jacob Patterson is averaging 9.61 assists per set, placing 15th in the country. 
• Shankweiler leads the team, and ranks 11th nationally, with 0.56 aces per set. The Emmaus, Pennsylvania forms a potent 1-2 punch with Lehman on the outside, with each player averaging over three kills per set.
• The Ducks compiled a 12-5 record against ranked opponents and seek their second national championship after winning the NCAAs in 2015.

Scouting Endicott

• (Courtesy of Endicott Sports Information) The Gulls currently rank in the top-25 nationally in six categories including aces per set (No. 18, 1.84), assists per set (No. 25, 10.73), hitting percentage (No. 16, .249), kills per set (No. 24, 11.66), match won-loss percentage (No. 17, .677), and opponent hitting percentage (No. 18, .154). Endicott is also positioned No. 30 in blocks per set (1.86), and No. 45 in digs per set (9.50). 
• Individually, Endicott is led by NECC Rookie of the Year and All-Conference first team selection Bryn Lipton.  The freshman outside ranks in the top-20 in several conference categories most notably in the following areas: second in kills (305), third in kills per set (3.14), seventh in hitting percentage (.236), ninth in service aces (31), 17th in service aces per set (0.32), 12th in digs (145), 18th in digs per set (1.49), and 10th in blocks (38, nine solo, 29 assisted).
• The Gulls' lineup will also feature NECC All-Conference first team honoree Daniel Toth. The senior middle enters Saturday as the 2017 NECC Tournament Most Valuable Player and a three-time All-NECC first team selection. This season, Toth has posted 188 kills (2.00 k/s), a .405 hitting percentage, 42 digs, and 87 total blocks (0.93 b/s, 16 solo, 71 assisted) for the Gulls this season in 94 sets played. Toth paced the conference in three out of the four blocking categories (block assists, blocks total, blocks per set), and also ranked No. 8 in kills/No. 13 in kills per set, and No. 2 in hitting percentage. Nationally, Toth is situated No. 12 in hitting percentage, and No. 21 in blocks per set.  

How'd we get here?

• Stevens fell in the UVC semifinals to New York University. The Ducks received an at-large bid into the championship after a 29-5 season that included both 10, and 12, game winning streaks. The team was ranked third in the West Region and tied with UC-Santa Cruz for the toughest schedule in country, second only to the nation's number one team, Springfield College. The appearance is the fifth consecutive for the program. 
• Endicott defeated Elms College, 3-0, to win the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship. It was the fifth straight conference title for the Gulls, who earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Endicott was ranked seventh in the final NCAA Regional Rankings.

At Stake

• The winner of Saturday's match will advance to take on No. 6 Dominican University on Friday, April 28 at Springfield College. Stevens fell at the Stars on March 26.

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
Snapchat: ducks_athletics