RIVIER COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

Former Townie is Latest To Play Volleyball For Rivier College

2011-10-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

Former All-Stater Jessica Amaral has been an inspiration to her siblings and players at East Providence High School.
By Neil Nachbar

Following a stellar high school volleyball career at East Providence High School, Jessica Amaral became one of the top college prospects in the state. She was named First-Team All-State, and she led the Townies to the Division I state finals in her senior year in 2009.
Amaral decided to continue her career at Rivier College, becoming the latest in a line of East Providence players to attend the small Catholicschool in Nashua, NH.
“Besides looking at Rivier College, I was also looking at other schools that recruited me for volleyball, as well as schools in Florida that had my major,” Amaral said. “Playing volleyball was definitely something I wanted to experience in college, and after my recruiting trip to Rivier, I knew that it was exactly the type of institution I wanted.”
Previous players from East Providence’s girls’ and boys’ volleyball teams whose careers flourished at Rivier include sisters Kori and Lindsay Chace, their brother Andy Chace and Zack Stedman. Kori was the conference Player of the Year in 2007, Lindsey played on conference championship teams in 2007 and 2008, Andy was a three-time All-American and conference Player of the Year in 2006 and Stedman was the conference Player of the Year for the New England section in 2005.
“All of the players we’ve had from East Providence have had a great base of skills and knowledge for volleyball; they have all been very athletic and really worked hard at their game,” said Craig Kolek, head coach of the Rivier men’s and women’s volleyball teams and associate athletic director.
Another trait the former Townies share is leadership. They all served as captains during their careers.
Just as Andy Chace was instrumental in Stedman attending Rivier, the Chace sisters played a major role in introducing the college to Amaral.
“The Chaces brought me up to Nashua to watch the 2010 Rivier team play against the alumni team,” recalled Amaral. “That night I bonded with the team. All of the girls were so welcoming to me, which really drove my decision to enroll at Rivier.”
Kolek followed Amaral’s accomplishments in high school and was impressed with her development.
“I recruited Jess a pretty good amount,” said Kolek. “She has a solid volleyball background from her dad, and you could tell she was ahead of the curve compared to other players her age. Her great ball control and scrappiness on defense really stood out.”
Amaral’s father, Paul, has been the athletic director at East Providence High since 2006. He has been involved in volleyball as a player, a coach and an official for many years. He also met his wife, Gloria, through volleyball.
“My wife and I always encouraged our four kids to participate in sports and healthy activities,” Amaral said. “We would often bump the volleyball around at our house.”
When Paul began coaching in the developmental program of the Coastal Volleyball Club in New Bedford, he got Jessica and his other children involved.
Jessica remembers playing with the volleyball at home with her family as early as age 4 and playing for her father’s club team in New Bedford for the first time as an 8-year-old.
“My father has played a huge role in my development as a volleyball player, as well as my mother,” said Amaral. “Throughout the years, one of my family members and I would just pepper with each other, because it was something simple and fun to do.”
As a seventh-grader, Amaral started attending the summer volleyball camp at the high school, run by Luis Cavalho, who was the head coach at the time. Her progress while in middle school enabled her to play on the varsity team as a ninth-grader.
“We were very proud of Jessica playing on varsity as a freshman, especially seeing her play in the championship match,” said Paul. “That was special. Not too many kids get a chance to do that.”
High school coach recalls leadership
Current Townies coach Alex Butler worked closely with Amaral for most of her high school career after Carvalho retired. He recalled how vital she was to the team’s success.
“Jessica was the backbone of the Townie defense,” Butler said. “As the libero, all of the communication in the back row went through her. Jess took the role and ran with it.”
Amaral also made an impact from the service line.
“Many people didn’t realize how much Jessica’s serve was a valuable weapon,” added Butler. “She served in the state finals as a freshman and the pressure didn’t even faze her. Her float serve was lethal for our team.”
With all of the physical skills needed to play at the next level, the biggest challenge Amaral has faced at Rivier is adjusting to the mental aspect of the game.
“I was terrified the first time I played in a college game,” admitted Amaral, who also plays lacrosse at Rivier. “I was excited and nervous at the same time, so it took me a few games to get into my comfort zone.”
Some of Amaral’s nerves were a result of the pressure she places on herself to play at a high level.
“Jessica is such a competitor that she wants everything to be perfect,” said Kolek. “Adjusting her thinking to, it’s okay to make mistakes as long as you rebound from them, has been something she has needed to work on.”
College coach sees bright future
Amaral is the backup libero for the Raiders, but Kolek envisions her playing a much larger role down the road.
“I expect her to be our full-time libero next season,” predicted Kolek. “She has a ton of potential and I expect her to keep getting better. Jess easily could be the defensive player of the year for our conference her junior and senior seasons.”
For now, Amaral is focused on improving her passing and defense so she can help her team when she’s called upon.
“As the season unfolds, I envision my confidence growing on the court,” Amaral said. “I’m trying to improve my serve receive and at least get a touch on the ball when it’s about to hit the floor.”
Regardless of whether she’s on the court or the sidelines, Amaral has been a supportive teammate and positive influence.
“She has a charismatic personality, which makes it easy for the other players to like her,” Kolek said. “She’s a great teammate and is very easy to coach.”
Amaral’s family has made the hour and a half drive from East Providence to see her play for Rivier a few times. Of course, when the Raiders play in Rhode Island, it’s a must-see event for her family.
“I think my family is very proud of me,” Amaral. “It is difficult to keep up with your studies, play two sports and do work study. Hopefully I have set a good example for my siblings, and maybe inspire them to be college student-athletes in the upcoming years.”
Amaral has not only been an inspiration to her siblings, but also her former teammates.
“Jess left a big mark on this program,” Butler said. “The younger kids who she played with look up to her, and the next crop of players will hear about her as they move through the program. I have playersright now trying to reach her level.”

Viva La RIV Beach

2011-09-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

After a year off for reconstruction the RIV Beach Fest returned last Sunday without skipping a beat. The Fest is an annual gathering of Rivier alumni and Rivier friends for a day of great ball and fun on RIV Beach. The 4 man pick your partners format allows for players to play with people they might not have been able to play with before as all teams are drawn blindly. It also allows for different generation alumni to play with or against each other as well. This year it was an awesome 70 degree sunny day with the grill cooking and the music playing while friends and family battled it out on the new sands of RIV Beach. $300 was donated by the participants to Rivier Volleyball. Thanks to all who played or hung out for the day!

RIV BEACH TIME

2011-05-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Now that the warm weather is here RIV Beach is officially up and running. As advertised it's one of the pearls of New England. Net is up, lines are down, and balls are flying so make sure you take a day or two to come out and play some ball on the best collegiate sand court in New England.

FAMILY

2011-02-08T12:50:00.000-08:00

RIV Nation enjoyed yet another successful Volleyball Alumni / Family Weekend this past weekend. On Friday night the current RIV Squad remained undefeated in conference play with a 3-1 win over rival Emmanuel College.

On Saturday a lunch was held with over 100 male and female volleyball alumni, friends, current players and family members. Lindsay Chace ('10) and Don Ferguson ('00) were guest speakers for the event. The lunch ended with Coach Kolek and Coach Martin presenting to the alumni a "Champions Chalice". The Chalice has engraved on it all 15 of the Raiders men's and women's volleyball championships with plenty of room for current and future RIV squads to add onto.

Finally the weekend ended with a men's alumni match in which the current RIV squad defeated the alum's 4-1. The alumni team featured for the first time together All American middle hitters Andy Chace ('06) and Matt Ferreira ('10) along with conference player of the year setters Nhut Chau ('06) and Zach Hansen ('10). Also participating in the match was Ferguson, Gabe Howard ('04), Jeff Costa ('05), Javier Laureano ('06), Billy Werner ('06), Kurt Monaco ('06), Mike Bucarrelli ('06), Greg Stanton ('06), Kevin Harrington ('07), Justin Andreozzi ('07), Scott Wright ('09), and Kyle O'Neill ('10).

Some Things Just Don't Get Old

2010-12-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

The Annual Boston University Volleyball Tournament was held this past weekend and once again more than 250 players left the tournament shaking their heads and another loss under their belts to the Big RIV Machine. This year it was a RIV Alumni Team that turned back the hands of time and swept through the tournament for yet another RIV Tourney win. Rivier class of '06 teammates Javier Laureano, Jason Conetta, and Kurt Monaco joined up with Jeff Costa ('05) and class of '10 members Zach Hansen, Matt Ferreira, and Kyle O'Neill to run rough house over such schools as BC, UNH, BU, UConn, URI, Yale, Syracuse, Columbia, Georgetown, and Emmanuel. The old timers went 12-2 on the 2 day tourney and added to the theory that the BU Invitational should be renamed as the RIV Invitational.

Also doing well in the tournament was another RIV Alum team (Lost boys) with Greg Stanton ('06), Nhut Chau ('06), Justin Andreozzi ('07), and Scottie Wright ('09) as the core members. The group finished up 5th in the tourney and was knocked out by the RIV Alumni Squad mentioned above.

The current RIV team held their own as well picking up a Silver Medal finish going 12-1 in the tournament and their only loss was to the RIV Alum Lost Boys team.

In a strange twist to the tourney, some may say a RIV conspiracy to hold out having an all RIV Championship match, the current RIV squad had to square off in the Gold play-in match to the RIV Alum Lost Boys team and then the winner of that match would face the Rivier Alumni team in the quarter-finals of the Gold Bracket. No doubt any of those 2 matches should have been the Championship match.

Congrats to all 31 RIV players involved in the tourney!!!

RIV BEACH COMPLETE

2010-11-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

The new and improved RIV Beach is done and ready to be used for the spring of 2011!!! This is the premier beach court in New Hampshire and quite possibly in all of New England.

This RIV showpiece is tournament quality and comes complete with:

Silky soft Toronto sand 16 inches deep - same sand shipped across the world for FIVB events

Built in drainage under the court to let the water flow and decrease the packing of the sand

Multi-height net - for easy adjustments from higher than men, to women, and below juniors height

8 feet of play outside of the court lines

Blue border for safety between sand and grass

Enclosed side areas by fences or buildings for short shagging

Grassy areas around the court for viewing comfort

North to South court configuration for less direct sun glare

Bring on the warm weather!!!

RIV BEACH TAKING SHAPE

2010-10-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

RIV BEACH is starting to take take shape and is in the home stretch of it's completion. The drainage is done, borders are formed and concrete for the poles has been poured. Only thing missing is the sand which should be coming by the end of this week. This ain't no ordinary sand either. The sand will be trucked in from Ontario and is the same high quality grade as used in FIVB international events and the Olympics.

The reconstruction of RIV Beach and the addition to The Doon has been underway now for just over 4 months and both projects are close to being complete. The planned completion date of November 15 still seems to be on target which give us only 2-3 shorts weeks until usage of both could happen.

RIV BEACH UPDATE

2010-08-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

We are now about 2 months into the construction stage and the New RIV Beach and the new Muldoon addition is starting to take form. The photos show the New Beach in the process of being dug out for drainage pipes to be set. It's been a long summer with no beach but seeing the work in progress to beautify our Beach makes the wait a bit easier.

The photos also show the front view of The Doon with the new steel structure attached to the front of the existing building. It's exciting to see the building take it's new form especially knowing what's to come!!

Everything seems to be on course and completion date for both RIV Beach and The Doon is still November.

RIV BEACH Under Construction

2010-06-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

RIV Beach as well as The Muldoon are under construction for the summer. The dozers are out and the good quality sand will be saved for the bottom of the new Beach while new sand will be brought in to finish off the court. The new and improved RIV Beach will be moved slightly away from The Muldoon and rotated so that it will be facing North/South instead of East/West. A brand new net system including poles will allow for easy adjustments for all players male, female, and youth.

The Muldoon will add a new trainers room, weight room, storage area, and staff offices along with a new entrance, lobby area, and restroom facilities.

The expansion project is expected to be done by mid-November.

National Recognition

2010-01-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

Zach Hansen, our senior setter, was named the National Player of the Week this past week. It's a great honor and recognition for him as well as the program. It's the 3rd time in Zach's career and the 10th time in Rivier's 16 year history that a Raider has received this honor. It shows the type of character and hard workers that have come through The Muldoon doors over the years. Congrats Hansen!

WE'RE BACK

2010-01-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay between postings. Between the holidays and the start of the school year and season with double sessions things have been a bit hectic. Holidays were great! It was nice to relax a bit and hang out with family members.
Double sessions went well and we are full force into our season. Looking forward to see how the men respond this year - should be interesting. Off to our first away weekend (we have a serious road schedule this year - we will be road warriors for sure) at Ramapo College in Mahwah New Jersey. I'll keep you posted!

Semi-Final Finish for Men at Rick Pierce

2009-12-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

We wrapped up our non-traditional season this past Sunday at one of the biggest adult volleyball tournaments in the area. The Rick Pierce Invitational is one of the premier tourneys in the Northeast with 15 adult teams competing by invite only in an AA/Open level field. Rivier was the only college team in the mix.
We finished Pool play with a solid 6-2 record - our losses came from a veteran Rhode Island team who for years has been one of the best in New England.
First round of playoffs pitted us against a confident team named "Blue Chips" - a group of players from the CT/NY area. We came out smoking and put down a 30-16 drubbing on the blue chippers.
In our semi-final match we faced the top team from Club Creole (based out of New York City) who was undefeated in set play up to this point. In an impressive display - the D3 school from NH put up a fight and ended up pulling out a first set 27-25 win over the open club team.
Needless to say the Creole boys weren't too happy with this and went on to step their game up to win the next 2 sets.
Creole then went on to sweep the Rhode Island team 2-0 in the finals. Our 4 set losses through the day came from the 1st and 2nd place teams in the tournament. Pretty solid showing for RIV and the best finish to date in our 4 appearances in the event.

Boston University Invitational or RIV Alumni Game???

2009-12-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

BU - we need to talk......

We may need to talk to Boston University and have them rename their Winter Invitational Tourney. The annual 32 team showdown features the biggest and best of the east coast college club squads (BU, Northeastern, BC, URI, UConn, Syracuse, UNH, Delaware, Cornell to name a few) along with a handful of Division III schools and adult USA teams. After 2 days of play who was still standing in the end.....Rivier College and the USA Adult Club Team named The Lost Boys which featured 4 RIV alumni.

The Raiders went 5-1 in pool play with wins over Williams College, Bryant University, and the University of Delaware on day 1 then went on to defeat Johnson & Wales University (DIII) in a game to 30 to advance to the Gold Round of day 2. From there RIV downed University of Connecticut 2-0 and Newbury College (DIII) 2-0 to advance to the Championship Match.

The Finals was the best out of 3 and all 3 sets would be needed to decide the winner. Both set 1 and 2 finished with the scores of 25-23 as The Lost Boys, represented by Greg Stanton (RIV 06), Nhut Chau (RIV 06), Justin Andreozzi (RIV 07), and Scottie Wright (RIV 09), took the 1st set and RIV won the 2nd. The deciding set to 15 was tight until 10 points when RIV pulled ahead and won with a score of 15-12.

This was the 2nd time in 3 years the we have won the (Raider?) Winter Invitational.

Another Raider Joins the Coaching Ranks

2009-12-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

It's always exciting to hear about a successful RIV Alum earning the opportunity to coach volleyball at any level. Its' even more exciting to hear it's a college position. Lindsay Marshall (2008) was newly named the women's volleyball head coach of division 3 Salve Regina University in Newport Rhode Island.
Go to www.salve.edu/athletics/news/news_detail.cfm?news_ID=883 to read Lindsay's press release.
Best of luck Lindz and hopefully see you and the Seahawks at The Muldoon!!!

MEN OUT OF THE GATE QUICK

2009-11-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

The RIV Men started off their non-traditional season in a big way by winning a 5 team Yankee AA Tourney at Wheaton College on Sunday. RIV ran the table going 8-0 in pool play which was good enough to give them a bye to the championship game in which we won to finish a perfect 9-0. A nice way to start and great to see the sophomores and freshmen be significant factors on the team.
Next up is the 32 team Boston University Club Tourney on December 5th and 6th.

1 Down and 2 to Go

2009-11-04T18:06:00.000-08:00

The RIV women came out smokin' hot and cruised through Mt Ida College in the quarter-final round of the GNAC playoffs. We played well with everything clicking - good passing, consistent setting, great serving, and a stingy defense. It's always nice to be playing at The Muldoon so that helps too. Great home court for sure!! Different story from here on in as we hit the road for the semi-finals!!! Play like we did in the quarters and it won't matter where we are.

20 and Counting

2009-11-02T18:49:00.000-08:00

For the 5th straight year the women's team has put up a 20 spot in the win column. RIV ended the regular season with a 3-0 win over Suffolk to pick up #20. The playoffs are straight ahead and we are poised to make another run at a GNAC Championship. It's never easy to win a GNAC Championship but a 3-peat is within reach. Hopefully this year's squad can show the mental toughness that the previous championship RIV teams have shown. Here's to win #21.......

Rivalry Renewed??

2009-10-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Rivier College vs Daniel Webster College. Used to be a big deal in Nashua but over the years the interest has dwindled. The Women Raiders have posted a 14-1 advantage over the DW Eagles since 1993. The men's teams haven't played in close to 10 years due to DW dropping their program a few years back (only to bring it back 2 years ago) along with the emergence of RIV being a National power. Not much of a rivalry to speak of......
Last night had a different feel however. The match at DWC last night had a playoff atmosphere. Great crowd and both teams battled. Daniel Webster has some young local talent energizing their program and RIV was able to get some of their younger players into the mix to get a look at what playoff atmosphere ball feels like.
Here's hoping the rivalry is renewed - it's great to battle for kings and queens of Nashua.

In The Hunt

2009-10-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Tough week so far for The RIV. On Tuesday Johnson & Wales came to The Muldoon and we started out on fire with a 25-8 drubbing in the first set only to drop the next three games. Had a few points lead in set 4 but couldn't force a 5th and deciding game. We then traveled to Boston to take on undefeated Emerson College. We quickly dropped the first 2 sets and then stormed back with 2 wins of our own only to drop the 5th game. So far our 3 conference losses have all been down to the wire and we still like our chances. We are in the hunt and come playoff time anything can happen!!

The Stretch Run

2009-10-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

It's October which means it's time to get serious and start playing the bulk of our GNAC matches. September was a month filled with great competition against some of the best in New England along with some great teams in Virginia. So far we have only played 2 of our 12 GNAC matches and have gone 1-1. We slipped up against Emmanuel early in the season and blew a 2-0 set lead to lose in 5 games however we regrouped to sweep Mt Ida. We are ready and running well now - just in time for our last 10 GNAC matches. October should be a fun ride!

RIV BEACH FEST - 2009

2009-09-29T15:41:00.001-07:00

The annual RIV BEACH FEST has come and gone with another outstanding day of fun for all involved. Friends of RIV Nation, including some alumni, gather every year on the 3rd weekend of September to play in a 4 man team fundraiser on RIV Beach. The teams are chosen by lottery - each name drawn from a hat - and game on from there. An 80 degree day, tons of food on the grill, and great play all day long made this years FEST the best so far. Money raised by the tourney goes to RIV Volleyball as well as any needs RIV Beach may need for the following year. RIV Beach is a secret no more - it features great soft sand and enclosure on all 4 sides for limited shagging. If you haven't been to RIV Beach you may want to mark it on your calendar for the summer of 2010 as a vacation destination you must travel to.

200 and Counting

2009-09-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Raiders head coach Craig Kolek recently reached win #200 in his women's volleyball coaching career. The milestone victory came on Saturday 9/26 when RIV swept Rhode Island College 3-0 at The Muldoon. Kolek, now in his 11th season coaching the women, joins an exclusive group of coaches who has 200 plus wins coaching the women's side as well as 200 plus wins coaching the men's side of volleyball. Kolek currently stands at 246 wins for the Raiders men's team.

Winning is second nature at The RIV. Over the past decade the RIV Women have averaged 18 wins a season and the RIV Men average out to 17.5 wins per season. Can you find another program with a better Tradition of Excellence? We doubt it.....

Which Roller Coaster is the Best?

2009-09-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

The Griffin or the Alpengeist? Which is better? Tough decision to make but one worth testing. The women's volleyball team traveled to Virginia Beach over Labor Day to kick off the season with a tournament at Virginia Wesleyan College. While down their we took a day trip to Busch Gardens for some fun and excitement. By far two of the best roller coasters at the park and maybe on the East Coast were The Griffin and The Alpengeist.

The Griffin brings you 100 some odd feet high to the peak and then once you get over the peak it suspends you for a few seconds looking straight down. It then proceeds to drop you straight down at a 90 degree drop. It's a real good drop - almost a free fall. The ride goes on through a few loops and twists and then repeats everything a second time. It's a bit short of a ride but the drop was unbelievable.

The Alpengeist is a coaster where your feet are dangling and you are either upside down or twisted sideways for almost the entire ride. It's faster, longer, and much more curvy then The Griffin. It's even better at night!

Who is your winner?

Good Luck Charm

2009-09-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

If you haven't met the Raiders mascot then get your arse down to The Muldoon and say hi to Oaklee. Oaks is a 6 1/2 year old French Bulldog who pretty much owns the gym as shown in the team photo above with the 2009 Rivier Women's Volleyball Team.

Yahtzee!!!!

2009-09-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves a winner and we are no different here at RIV Nation especially when it's one of our Alum's who is the winner. Class of 2002 Alumni Lou Rondeau hit the jackpot with a $50,000 scratch ticket. As the story goes, Sweet Lou was playing some pick up grass volleyball at Holman Stadium in Nashua NH and he asked his buddy to pick up a gallon of water for him. Lou gave his friend $5, purchased the gallon of H20 and then took the change and bought a ticket. His friend covered the rest of the money to pay for the $5 lucky piece. The rest is history! Check out the photo on the link below:
http://www.newhampshirelottery.com/WinnersGallery/WinnersGallery.aspx

Bigger and Better Website

2009-09-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

Finally! The new Rivier College website is up and running and the Athletics page is awesome! Now all of RIV Nation can get instant updates of scores and stats along with recaps and photos of all our sports. The site is soooo easy to navigate and the calendar allows for you to find when and where your favorite RIV team will be playing next. There is even a link for this Blog!
Go to http://www.rivierathletics.com/ and check it out.

It's All About the Coach

2009-08-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Laura Ciummo ('09) and Lindsay Marshall ('08) are the latest Raider Alum's to put on the coaching gear in the New England college ranks. Ciummo, the Raiders all time record holder for assists, will join Division I Providence College as an assistant coach while Marshall, RIV's all time leader in digs, will be part of the Division III Salve Regina University coaching team.

You can find the press release for Ciummo on the link below:
http://www.friars.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/ciummo_laura00.html

It's great to see RIV grads giving back to the volleyball community and teaching the RIV way.
Other notable RIV Raider coaches in the college game are Don Ferguson - University of Hartford, Jason Conetta - Simmons College, Javier Laureano - Emmanuel College, Greg Stanton - Rivier College, Nhut Chau - Rivier College, Kevin Harrington - Johnson & Wales University.

It's not just the college game either as many Raiders are currently coaching high school, junior high school, and or club teams through out New England.

The experience received from RIV Nation is obviously second to none and it's shown by Rivier grads and their love for the game!!!

Summer Days

2009-08-15T06:55:00.001-07:00

Summer time is one of our favorite times of year and The Nation is in full swing participating in beach and grass tourneys. Current Ballers from both the men's and women's team are taking their games to the next level while enjoying Newport Beach with each other. Alumni Gabe Howard and Mike Buccarelli are traveling up and down the east coast consistently placing in the top 10 of the "Open" Level in beach tournaments while Alum's Lindsay Marshall and Danielle Rogers are making a name for themselves in the "Open" Level in Newport RI.

Ahhhhhhhh........The Rookies!

2009-06-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

Orientation time at The RIV which means it's time to see all the new faces of the Raider family. It's always exciting to see the newbees in the summer. The hard work of recruiting for RIV Nation has finally paid off and they are on campus. It's always great to see the faces who hopefully will help continue the long tradition of success for Rivier Volleyball.

Lucky Number 943

2009-06-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

.943 winning percentage....... Not too shabby for the Raider men in 2009. The NCAA thought so as well naming Rivier the 2009 Division I statistical champion for winning percentage after winning 33 out of 35 matches. Nice award but I'll take the constant focus, concentration, and effort of winning 30 straight matches during the season as a higher honor. Either way a .943 winning percentage and 30 straight wins may never be touched for a long time.

AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR

2009-06-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

Setter Jamison Chue led Newton South High School to a 3-2 win over Brookline High to advance into the Final 4 of the Massachusetts state tournament. Chue and South will face off against powerhouse Lincoln-Sudbury High School at 7pm on Saturday 6/6 at North Quincy High School.

Tourney Time

2009-06-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

It's high school playoff time in Massachusetts and New Jersey for two future Raiders. In Jersey, middle hitter Ryan Finnegan made a good run of it with a young supporting cast around him, but Toms River South High eventually lost to Howell High School.
In Mass, setter Jamison Chue has led Newton South to the finals of the South sectional. Jamie and South will face off against Brookline High School on 6/3 at 4pm at Newton North high School. The winner will move on to the final four of Massachusetts volleyball.

GNAC Champions AGAIN

2009-05-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

Both the women and the men capped off successful seasons with their second straight GNAC title. Dynasty in the making..........