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Sept. 30, 2008 PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) women's volleyball team went 6-0 when they travelled to North Carolina for the Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Lady Rams Invitational and a match-up against North Carolina Central University (NCCU). Christina Estebané and Christine Edwards swept the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) weekly honors. The Lady Hawks look to keep an eight game win streak going as they head into conference play on October 3. WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL All six starters recorded kills in the Lady Hawks win over Saint Augustine's College (SAC) 3-0 (25-10, 25-8, 25-9). They were led by Caylin Woodward and Edwards, who tied with a game-high nine kills. Samantha Pimental also performed well in her first start of the season, picking up a career and game high 28 assists. Alison Bittner saw a lot of playing time and finished with a career and team high nine digs. UMES dominated the first two sets in their win over Savannah State (25-7, 25-11, 25-14), outscoring the Lady Tigers 50-18. Estebané finished with game-highs of 22 assists and five aces. Woodward and Edwards tied for a game high nine kills for the second time during the tournament. Edwards put down all nine kills with zero errors. Samantha Chukwura was perfect on the match with six kills on six attempts with zero errors. Defensively, Zoe Bowens led the Lady Hawks with a game high six digs. In the third match of the tournament, UMES topped host WSSU 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-13) to clinch the number one seed going into round robin play. Estebané finished with game highs in assists (31), aces (7) and tied Leah Amundson for the game-high nine digs. Edwards led the Lady Hawks with a game high 12 kills. The semi-final win over Savannah State 3-0 (25-12, 25-9, 25-13), saw Thonya Joseph and Whitney Johnson coming away with a game-high 11 kills each. Estebané and Pimental shared the setter responsibilities. Pimental finished with a game-high 19 assists. Estebané had 16 assists and continued her serving dominance with a game-high four service aces, three of which came in UMES' first seven points of the match. Edwards continued to shine for the Lady Hawks in their win over WSSU 3-0 (25-20, 25-10, 25-7) for the tournament championship, putting down game-highs of 11 kills and five aces. Estebané finished with a game-high 33 assists and Amundson had a game-high 12 digs. After sweeping competition at the WSSU Lady Rams Invitational, UMES saw Edwards, Joseph and Estebané named to the All-Tournament Team. Edwards received the Most Valuable Player Award. She led the team with a tournament high 47 kills and finished second in the tournament with 13 aces. Joseph, a Barbados native, was extremely accurate throughout the tournament. Totaling 31 kills with only five errors in five matches, she finished with a tournament high .634*. She was also huge defensively, with a team high nine total blocks. Estebané has been unstoppable this year. This is her fourth All-Tournament nod this season. She put up tournament highs of 102 assists and 16 aces. . Woodward garnered her third double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 assists as the Lady Hawks topped NCCU 3-1 (25-13, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21). Edwards led the Lady Hawks attack with a game-high 16 kills and Johnson finished with 14 kills respectively. Estebané just missed a double-double with a game-high 39 assists and nine digs and Amundson (Tucson, Ariz./Arizona Western) picked up a game-high 14 digs. Earning her second MEAC Player of the Week Award in a row, Estebané has now received the honor four out of the five weeks this season. She tallied 23 aces, 31 digs and 14 kills this weekend in competition. This is Edwards' second MEAC Rookie of the Week nod and the second time this season that Estebané and Edwards have swept the MEAC's weekly honors. Edwards finished the weekend with 63 kills, 15 aces and 22 digs. UPCOMING MATCHES The Lady Hawks are preparing for their first home matches. The first is against Morgan State on October 3 at 7 p.m., quickly followed by rival Delaware State on October 5 at 3 p.m. Morgan is 1-16 this season, but Delaware State (7-7) looks to be the Lady Hawks biggest obstacle in their run for the Mid-Eastern Conference (MEAC) Northern Division title. |
