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Nov. 25, 2007

The Siena volleyball team will take on top-ranked Penn State in the First Round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament Friday at 7:30 p.m. in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions are the #3 overall seed in this year's 64-team field. It is the third straight NCAA appearance for the Saints.

UAlbany and Cleveland State will square off in the Regional's other semifinal at 5 p.m. Friday, with the two winners meeting in Saturday's regional final at 7 p.m.

"We are very excited to be able to challenge ourselves against the best in the country," head coach Garvey Pierre said. "This is another opportunity for our program to experience what the NCAA Tournament is all about while gaining great exposure for our College."

The Saints enter the Championships with a 24-7 overall record. The three-time defending MAAC Champions posted a 17-1 mark in conference action this season, and earned an automatic bid to this year's Tournament by winning the MAAC Championship with a 3-2 win over rival Fairfield on Monday.

Siena is led by MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Burgandy McCurty who ranks fifth nationally with a .436 hitting percentage. Senior Nadiege Honore - the MAAC Tournament MVP - leads the team with 4.18 kills per game. The total is the highest for any player in school history. Honore enters the NCAA Tournament with 1,446 career kills - just eight shy of the school's all-time record.

Freshman Aubrey Bobo has also enjoyed a sensational season. The Second Team All MAAC pick and three-time MAAC Offensive Player of the Week selection is averaging 3.8 kills and 2.7 digs. Junior setter April London became the first Siena player to eclipse the 4,000 career assist mark in the MAAC Tournament and classmate Kathi Kobayashi is well on her way to becoming the school's all-time leader in career digs.

Penn State enters the Tournament with a 28-2 overall record after finishing Big Ten play with a perfect 20-0 mark. Sophomore Megan Hodge and junior Nicole Fawcett lead the Nittany Lions with 4.63 and 4.49 kills respectively. PSU has won 20 straight matches entering the Championships.

It is the third straight Tournament for Siena, which lost to Minnesota in straight games in the First Round last year in Albany. In 2005, Siena lost 3-0 to eventual National Champion Washington in its first NCAA Tournament showing in a decade.

In 1995, Siena made its first NCAA Tournament appearance, falling to Georgia Tech in straight games in Atlanta. Siena won the MAAC Championship in 1993, 1994 and 1996 but lost subsequent NCAA play-in games. The 1993 squad advanced to the NVIT, losing to LSU.

ALL SESSION tickets for the First and Second rounds MUST be purchased at the Bryce Jordan Center Ticket office or by calling 814-865-555 or 1-800-863-3336 beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 26 up until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30. All session tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for senior citizens, youth and students with a valid college or university ID. SINGLE SESSION tickets WILL ONLY be available at Rec Hall on Friday and Saturday and are $7 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, youth and students.