LOUDONVILLE, NY – A rivalry continues on Tuesday evening, as the Siena Volleyball team plays host to the UAlbany Great Danes at the UHY Center at 7 p.m.
 
Siena is coming off a weekend where they fell in matches to Quinnipiac and Fairfield. Despite the results, the Saints played competively – pushing the defending MAAC Champions to the brink on Sunday.
 
Fairfield's KJ Johnson led all offensive players with 13 kills on the afternoon, while Allie Elliott added 10 kills. Elliott also added 12 digs for a double-double – ending as one of four Stags with 12 digs. Sophomore Ece Emrullah finished with a team-high eight kills, hitting .313 on the afternoon. Senior Gracie Halley recorded 20 digs for the fifth time this season. The Saints topped the Stags in blocks on the match, 7-6.
 
The Saints currently sit first in the MAAC in opponent kills per set, only allowing 11.29 kills per set. Siena also ranks first in the league in service aces, putting up 2.15 aces per set – the only team in the league over a 2.0. Rider – sitting in second – sits at 1.76. The Saints continue to be strong defensively, sitting fourth in the MAAC in digs at 14.15 digs per set.
 
Individually, sophomore Ece Emrullah is among the league's best in hitting percentage (6th - .299), while Gracie Halley reps the defensive game for the Green and Gold, ranking third in digs per set (4.29). However, sophomore Sara Wagner sits with the league's best players in points – which combines kills, aces, and blocks – sitting seventh with a 3.34 points per set average. A big portion of Wagner's success has come on the serve, as she sits second in the league at 0.48 aces per set.
 
Siena and UAlbany meet for the 38^th time between the two schools. The capital city clash has skewed in the favor of the Great Danes over the years, with UAlbany holding a 31-6 series advantage for the matchup that began in 1976. The last Siena win came in a 3-1 victory at the UHY Center on Sept. 27, 2012. Taylor Akana led four Saints in double figures with 20 kills as Siena stormed past UAlbany in four sets (20-25, 25-19. 25-17 and 25-16).
The last matchup between the two programs came last season across town, as the Saints fell in straight sets, 3-0. Siena was led by eight kill efforts from sophomore Greta Stjade and freshman Sara Wagner. Stjade also cashed in 15 digs for a double-double. Graduate student Emily Wunder and senior Abby Huffman each were solid with seven kills apice, with Huffman adding three blocks.
 
The "Voice of the Saints" Emmanuel Berbari has the call of the match alongside Sarah Sivertson on ESPN+, which is available to watch by clicking the corresponding link. Fans can also follow along via live stats and courtside live updates on Twitter by following @SienaVB.