Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Volleyball team will renew its rivalry with St. John's this week as the Pride travel to Queens on Wednesday to take on the Red Storm in the ninth installment of the Queens-Nassau Cup Match. 

In what has been a tightly-contested series since it began, the two teams have split the 16 all-time meetings and since the Queens-Nassau Cup series was started in 2002 the meetings are split four wins apiece. 

Hofstra (2-5) enters the contest after having won its first two matches of the season last week.  The Pride got it started with a sweep of Iona on September 1 as redshirt freshman outside hitter Nikki Kinnier led the way with 14 kills.  The victory improved Hofstra's record to 9-0 all-time versus Iona.

Over the weekend Hofstra headed to the Thunder Invitational Tourney at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.  The tournament would see the Pride play a pair of five-set matches and also take on an undefeated Cleveland State squad.

Hofstra began the weekend with a tough five-set loss to the host Thundering Herd on Friday, before dropping a three-set decision to Cleveland State on Saturday morning. 

The tournament would end on a high note for the Pride, though, as Hofstra rallied in its final match and downed High Point in five sets to pick up its second victory of the young season.  Led by 18 kills and five blocks from sophomore middle blocker Carolyn Jenkins, Hofstra came back from a two sets to one deficit as they earned a 25-15 victory in the fourth set before narrowly defeating High Point, 15-13, in the fifth and final set.

Kinnier was named to the all-tournament team over the weekend after tallying 31 kills, 27 digs and 10 blocks in the Pride's three matches.  She was second on the team in kills and blocks, while ranking third on the squad in digs during tournament play.

Jenkins has started off her sophomore campaign in fine fashion as she leads Hofstra in kills (78), attack percentage (.282) and blocks (19).  Kinnier ranks second in kills with 62, while picking up 51 digs (third-best).  Sophomore libero Kylee Maneja is tops on the squad with 100 digs, while senior setter Rachel August has 207 assists to lead the team and also has picked up 46 digs. 

Following the match against St. John's, Hofstra will travel to the 2010 Bradley Braves Invitational in Peoria, Illinois this weekend.  The Pride will face Bradley, Valparaiso and Presbyterian.