Sept. 11, 2009
Tournament Central | Live Stats
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team (5-3) travels to Dover, Del., to play in the Delaware State Invitational, hosted by Delaware State this weekend.
The Hawks will face Navy on Friday at 5 p.m. and follow that up with a pair of matches on Saturday against La Salle (11 a.m.) and Norfolk State (3 p.m.).
UMES went 3-1 last weekend against Gardner-Webb and Wofford at the Runnin' Bulldog Classic at GWU to win the tournament championship. Sophomore outside hitter Christine Edwards (Lakewood, Calif.) was named MVP and also earned a spot on the all-tournament team with fellow hitter senior Caylin Woodward (Garden Grove, Calif.).
The Hawks have won four of their last five matches dating back to a 3-0 victory over Rider on Aug. 29 at the Tribe Invitational in Williamsburg, Va. For the season, UMES has a .248 hitting percentage and is holding opponents to .194.
The Hawks are averaging 9.8 kills and 1.4 aces per set as a team. Individually, they boast three players who average at least two kills per set in Edwards, Woodward and senior Whitney Johnson (Prince Frederick, Md.). Edwards is tops on the team with 4.11 kills per set and on the defensive end, Woodward leads with 3.15 digs per set.
The Midshipmen (1-6) are led by Carolyn Ewert who is tops on team in kills per set with 2.82.Holly Berger leads the Mids with 3.45 digs per set, as well. Navy is hitting .177 while allowing opponents a .308 percentage.
Navy leads the all-time series with UMES, 13-2. The two schools have not met in volleyball since the 2005 season.
La Salle is 1-8 on the season, having beaten St. Peter's, 3-2, at home. The Explorers are hitting just .118 on the year and allowing the opposition to convert at a .213 clip. Rachel Stemper is the Explorers' top hitter at 3.03 kills per set. Samantha Tulskie leads the team with a mark of 4.58 digs per set.
Norfolk State comes into the tournament at 2-5 with wins against Texas Southern and Hampton. The Spartans are hitting .034 and allowing a .192 percentage against.
Breanna Allums leads the team in kills per set (1.78) while Solange Honore (2.44) leads in digs per set.
Follow all the tournament action with live stats at www.umeshawks.com.
