The William Smith volleyball team will open Liberty League play with two matches at home the weekend. The Herons will welcome Clarkson on Friday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. and St. Lawrence on Saturday at 2 p.m. to Bristol Gymnasium.

Taste of Soul food truck will be on site Saturday serving fans from noon to 4 p.m. outside of Bristol Gymnasium. HWS students/faculty/staff will receive one free meal with a valid OneCard.

Fans who can't make it to Bristol Gymnasium this weekend can follow all the action with HWS All-Access Video and Live Stats.

ABOUT THE HERONS:

• William Smith enters the weekend with a 10-1 record after sweeping Muhlenberg, John Carroll, and No. 22 Carnegie Mellon last weekend. The win over the Tartans was the first win over a ranked opponent in program history.
• William Smith is receiving 58 points in this week's AVCA national poll.
• Senior Malya Sayre leads the nation in points per set (6.17) and ranks second in kills per set (5.09). She also ranks third in the conference in service aces per set (0.69) and 11th in hitting percentage (.262).
• Sophomore Emily Fulton was named the Liberty League Performer of the Week after three strong performances last week. She ranks second in the Liberty League in service aces per set (0.77) and seventh in points per set (3.79) and hitting percentage (.303). Fulton also ranks 10th in the conference in kills per set (2.94).
• William Smith ranks second in the country in team hitting percentage (.275) and has produced five players in the top-11 of the conference. Sophomore Arielle Newsome ranks third (.352), while senior Jaylynn McCarthy ranks fifth (.327). Fulton ranks seventh, senior Hope Von Dohlen is 10th (.265) and Sayre is 11th.
• Sophomore setter Delainy Williams leads the Liberty League and ranks third in the nation in assists per set (10.74). She leads a Heron squad that ranks first in the nation in assists per set as a team (12.83).
• The Herons have been a threat at the net this season and have combined for a league-leading 2.26 blocks per set as a team. Newsome leads the team and is ranked second in the conference in blocks per set (0.94), while Von Dohlen ranks fourth (0.89). McCarthy is ranked sixth in the conference in blocks per set (0.77).
• Defensively, William Smith is led by sophomore libero Kali Vanderhoof who ranks fifth in the conference in digs per set (3.94).
• The Herons lead the conference in points per set (18.99), kills per set (13.57), service aces per set (3.06), opponent hitting percentage (.103) and opponent service aces per set (1.34). The Herons rank 11th in the nation in kills per set and 19th in service aces per set.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS:

• Clarkson enters the weekend 6-6 after defeating Castleton, SUNY Cobleskill, and Hartwick last weekend.
• Conley Burns leads the Golden Knights offensively, averaging 3.20 kills per set. She is followed by Marin Hangliter with 2.56 kills per set.
• Ashley Currier averages a team-leading 8.14 assists per set for the Golden Knights.
• Defensively, Olivia Baxter leads with 232 digs (5.95 per set) while Ainslie Reimer leads Clarkson with 23 blocks (0.52 per set) on the season.
• Last season, William Smith defeated Clarkson 3-0 during the regular season. The Herons then defeated the Golden Knights 3-2 in the conference semifinals. Sayre tallied a career-high 25 kills in the five-set win.

ABOUT THE SAINTS:

• St. Lawrence enters the weekend with a 9-4 record after defeating SUNY Canton 3-1 on Tuesday. The Saints will take on RIT Friday before traveling to Geneva Saturday.
•  Araiza Acum-Santos leads the Saints with 130 kills, averaging 2.94 kills per set. She is followed by Bridget Gammons with 1.98 kills per set.
• Vanessa Latam has recorded a team-leading 7.53 assists per set this season for St. Lawrence.
• Defensively, Cassady Smith leads the Saints with 185 digs, averaging 3.78 per set. Gammons leads with 33 blocks (0.72 per set).
• William Smith defeated St. Lawrence 3-0 during conference play last season.