Teaneck, NJ-- The Fairleigh Dickinson women’s volleyball team released its scheduled for the upcoming 2012 season, announced by Head Coach Stacey Recanati on Friday. The Knights will look to improve on last season’s 17-13 (7-9 NEC) record as they finished above .500 for the first time since 2008, which was the last time they made the Northeast Conference Tournament.
“We have a good mix of nonconference games,” Recanati said. “It should offer us a good variety of competition that we can use to improve our game.”
FDU will begin its season at the Asics Invitational, hosted by Hofstra University, with round-robin competition on Friday, Aug. 26 and Saturday, Aug. 27. The Knights will open their campaign against Marist on Friday before taking on Providence and Hofstra the following day.
The following weekend (Aug. 31-Sept. 1), FDU will compete at the Lafayette Tournament. The Knights will take on Garden State foe Saint Peter’s on Friday before facing Delaware State and Lafayette on Saturday.
FDU will play its first non-tournament match of the season at Fordham on Tuesday, Sept. 4 before participating at the St. John’s Classic on Friday, Sept. 7 and Saturday, Sept. 8. The Knights will open with St. John’s and volley against Idaho State and St. Francis NY on Saturday.
Following the conclusion of the tournament season, FDU will come home for the first of four-straight matches at Stratis Arena. The Knights will take on in-state rival NJIT in their 2012 home debut on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Northeast Conference play will commence on Saturday, Sept. 22 when FDU hosts Quinnipiac with a 1:00 p.m. match. The following day, the Knights will take on Central Connecticut State at the same time.
FDU’s four-match home stand will conclude with a 1:00 p.m. start time against St. Francis NY on Saturday, Sept. 29.
The Knights will hit the road for the first of three straight on Sunday, Sept. 30, starting with defending NEC champion Sacred Heart. After a week off, FDU will take on Bryant on Sunday, Oct. 7 before traveling to LIU Brooklyn on Wednesday, Oct. 10 to conclude the road swing.
The Knights will host a pair of weekend matches, both starting at 1:00 p.m., versus Saint Francis PA (Oct. 13) and Robert Morris (Oct. 14).
The following weekend, FDU will travel to Quinnipiac (Oct. 20) and Central Connecticut State (Oct. 21).
The Knights will return to Stratis Arena for a mid-week match against LIU Brooklyn on Wednesday, Oct. 24 before a short road trip to Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, Oct. 27 to take on St. Francis NY for the third time. The weekend will conclude with a home match versus Sacred Heart at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28.
FDU will travel to Pennsylvania over the first weekend of November to take on Saint Francis PA (Nov. 3) and Robert Morris (Nov. 4) to conclude the road portion of its schedule.
The Knights will return home for its final two matches of the regular season beginning with a non-conference match against Manhattan on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m. before closing out the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 3:00 p.m. against Bryant.
The NEC Tournament is slated for Saturday, Nov. 17 and Sunday, Nov. 18. The winner of the regular season will host the four-team playoff.