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Oct. 2, 2009 PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team embarks on a two-match road swing Oct. 4-6, facing North Carolina Central in Hampton, Va., and Morgan State in Baltimore, Md. UMES (10-6) heads into the matches with the Eagles and Bears after a 1-1 weekend as host of the Hampton Inn Salisbury North Invitational. The Hawks suffered their first home loss since Nov. 9, 2006 to snap a 16-match winning streak in the Hytche Center against Sacred Heart, 3-0.UMES bounced back to sweep Norfolk State, though, to close the one-day event. Senior outside hitters Whitney Johnson (Prince Frederick, Md.) and Caylin Woodward (Garden Grove, Calif.) were named to the all-tournament team. UMES leads the series with NCCU, 2-0, since 1995, with the last meeting coming Sept. 28, 2009, a 3-1 Hawks' victory. UMES, under head coach Don Metil, has won six of its last 10 matches. In fact, a win against the Eagles on Sunday would give Metil his 60th win at UMES in just his third season at the helm of the program. The series with Morgan State is tied, 8-8, since 2002 with UMES winning the last four matches against the Bears. UMES is tops in the conference in hitting percentage (.258), assists per set (11.91) and kills per set (12.74). Johnson and Christine Edwards (Lakewood, Calif.) are tied for the team lead in kills per set at 3.21, while redshirt junior Samantha Chukwura (Brooklyn, N.Y.) leads the team with a .351 hitting percentage. Freshman Bella Jade Romero (Arlington, Texas) is tops on the assists per set (10.34) while Woodward leads in digs per set at 3.04.
NCCU is 5-15 on the season and after a pair of home losses to Delaware State and Campbell in straight sets last weekend. As a team, the Eagles are hitting .095 while allowing opponents at .231 mark. Belinda Behncke-Biney is averaging 2.69 kills per game to lead the team, while Kiara Brown has tallied 6.38 assists per game and Raven King has a 2.42 digs-per-game average. Morgan State (5-14) has lost its last four matches and six-of-seven all by sweeps. The Bears' last victory came on Sept. 18 over Quinnipiac at the Army Tournament, 3-0. MSU is hitting .135 as a team. Erin Cox is averaging a team-leading 3.19 kills per set while Christa Rogers has put up 7.74 assists per set. Ivanti Bush is averaging 2.69 digs per set. Bret Lasky will have play-by-play of both matches on www.umeshawks.com. |
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