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Nov. 12, 2004
PRINCESS ANNE, MD - With five seniors playing in their final home game, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team concluded its regular season schedule with a 30-22, 30-23, 30-23 victory over visiting Coppin State. Senior Jana Milin, closed out the regular season with her fifth triple-double this year. Milin, who had a match-high 19 kills and 10 digs to go with 14 assists, guided the Hawks (17-15, 8-2) to its 13th win in front of the home crowd. Also playing in their final home game were UMES seniors Mamie Lewis, Aja Smith, Candice Ringgold and Marlee Johnson. Lewis recorded five kills and three digs. Smith totaled eight kills and six digs. Johnson provided seven digs, while Ringgold recorded a kill and two digs. Freshman Kate Smith recorded a match-high 29 assists. Coppin State (2-22, 1-9) was led by Shauniece Steward's eight kills and Krystal Williams 23 assists. Over the past four seasons this group of seniors has turned a once weak program into a team on the verge of competing at a national level. In 2001 the Hawks only totaled a 3-28 recorded, but in the last three seasons they have earned a 63-42 record. In 2002 the Hawks finished third in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), second in 2003 and now own the best record in the northern division of the MEAC.
UMES will enter the MEAC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. as the number two seed behind Florida A&M, who has yet to drop a match in conference play. The Hawks earn a bye into the Quarterfinals on Friday, November 19 where they will face the second lowest remaining seed from the first round of action on Thursday, November 18.
Senior Profiles: Aja Smith is a business administration major from Tampa, Florida. She transferred to UMES after two seasons at Indian River Community College in Tallahassee, Florida. Upon transferring to UMES, Aja made an immediate impact here and in the MEAC Conference, notching 249 kills in her first season at Division I. She also dug out 201 balls and had 27 total blocks. This year Aja is third on the team in kills and second in digs, with current year totals of 228 and 236 respectively, bringing her overall UMES career totals to a whopping 477 kills and 437 digs in just two seasons with the Hawks. Mamie Lewis is an early childhood education major from Tallahassee, Florida. She, along with Aja, transferred to UMES after playing at Indian River Community College. In her first year at UMES, Lewis recorded 205 kills, averaging over two a game to finish fourth on the team. At the net she collected 74 total blocks, 19 of which were solos, and dug out 51 attacks. This year Mamie garnered MEAC Player of the Week honors early in the season, and is currently second on the team in blocks and kills, totaling 55 blocks and 310 kills. She has a staggering 515 kills and 129 blocks in her career at UMES. Candice Ringgold is a graphic design major from Baltimore, MD. She has played volleyball during her entire career at UMES, mostly in the defensive specialist position but she has also played as a hitter and libero. As a freshman, Candice alternated between defensive specialist and hitter and totaled 77 digs, 11 service aces, seven kills and four assists. As a sophomore she played defensive specialist and libero and notched 34 digs en route to the Hawk's second highest win season in the program's history. Candace played in 23 matches during her junior year and recorded 33 digs, eight assists, two kills and one service ace. She is a true defensive specialist, totaling a massive 267 career digs during her time at UMES. Marlee Johnson is an exercise science major from Ontario, Canada. Marlee has played mostly at the libero position but has also played as a defensive specialist and setter. During Marlee's freshman year she alternated between defensive specialist and setter. She played in 79 games, notching 425 assists, 31 service aces and 14 kills. Defensively Johnson recorded 94 digs and six block assists in her only season on the front row. Marlee's sophomore year was her first year at libero. She dominated defensively proving one of the best in the MEAC at the new position. Marlee totaled 301 digs and committed only five ball handling errors. That season she was second on the team in digs and her 301 total digs that year currently stands as third all-time for a single season. Johnson continued to flourish at the libero positon during her junior year, recording 232 digs and only three ball handling errors. The libero position is the best defensive player on the team and Marlee Johnson is that, totaling an amazing 830 career digs at UMES. Jana Milin is a general studies major from Pula, Croatia. Jana has only been at UMES for three years but will graduate early and with honors. She has a long and decorated career with Hawk volleyball. After her first year at UMES, Milin was named MEAC Rookie and Player of the year, taking her team to their first ever twenty-win season. She totaled 554 kills, averaging just under five per game to lead the team. She also recorded 102 service aces and 330 digs. Jana was a member of the 30 kill club twice and was on the AVCA's triple-double club seven times. Jana was also named MEAC Player of the year following her second season at UMES and led the team in almost every statistical category. She finished with 644 total kills and 104 service aces, all team highs. Jana also finished fourth in nation for aces per game and 13th for kills per game. She had a season and career high 40 kills against Hampton on August, 30 2003, and joined the AVCA's 30-kill club two other times with 33 and 35 kills respectively. This year was equally as impressive for Jana. She has been MEAC Player of the Week twice. Earlier this week, she was named to the 2004 COSIDA Academic All-District II Volleyball First Team after maintaining a 3.906 GPA during her career at UMES. Jana is the current Hawks leader in kills, aces, and digs, and ranks second in the country in aces per game. She has five triple doubles and three 30-kill matches this season, and has career totals of 1,025 digs, 1,758 kills and 313 aces. |
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