POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – In its busiest week of the 2017 regular season the Marist volleyball team (3-3) will compete in the Art Carmichael Invitational on Sept. 8 and 9 in Kingston, Rhode Island.
 
Marist will play the host Rhode Island Rams (2-4) at 11 a.m. Friday and face Columbia (1-2) at 4 p.m. that same day. The Red Foxes will conclude the tournament against Northeastern (1-5) at 4 p.m. Saturday. Live Stats will be provided for all matches and there will be a live video stream of Friday morning's contest.
 
The Red Foxes have competed in the Art Carmichael Invitational once since its inception in 2008, playing Maryland Eastern Shore, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island at the tail end of non-conference play in 2010.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
Marist fell to its Hudson Valley rival, Army West Point, in straight sets Sept. 5. Sophomore Nikki DeSerpa led all Red Foxes with 13 kills and nine digs while junior Taylor van der Biezen dished out 17 assists and dove for nine digs defensively.
 
Through its first six matches of this season Marist is leading the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference averaging 2.30 blocks per set.   
 
SCOUTING REPORTS
 
Rhode Island Rams
 
Rhode Island finished last weekend 2-1 in the Yale Invitational after defeating Clemson, 3-1, and blanking Delaware. The Rams also fell to the host Bulldogs. Senior Marie Gillcrist and freshman Live Lunde Fossdal were named to the All-Tournament Team. Gillcrist had 26 kills and 15 total blocks in the three contests. Lunde Fossdal recorded two double-doubles including a 10-kill, 10-dig performance in the finale against Delaware.
 
Columbia Lions
 
Columbia opened the 2017 campaign in the Service Academy Challenge over the Labor Day weekend. The Lions went 1-2, defeating Air Force in five sets Sept. 1 before losing to Georgetown, 3-0, and The Citadel, 3-2, the following day. Columbia sophomore Katie Wood tallied team and career highs with 18 digs and four service aces in her team's comeback victory over Air Force.
 
Northeastern Huskies
 
The Huskies suffered three-, four-, and five-set losses to Cal State Northridge, Pepperdine, and Weber State respectively last weekend. Senior Brigitte Burcescu leads Northeastern with 62 kills on the year, while freshman Athena Ardila is right behind her with 61.
 
UP NEXT
 
Marist will head to Brooklyn for its final non-conference clashes of the season Sept. 15 in the Big Apple Battle. The Red Foxes will compete against St. Francis-Brooklyn at 3 p.m. and face the host LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds at 6:30 p.m.