Sept. 13, 2010
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - University of Maryland Eastern Shore junior Zoe Bowens (Long Beach, Calif.) and freshman Maline Vaitai (Salt Lake City, Utah) were named MEAC Player and Rookie of the Week, the League announced Monday.
The pair helped the Hawks to a 2-1 record at the Art Carmichael URI Volleyball Invitational this past weekend in Kingston, R.I. UMES (3-7) defeated Marist, 3-2 and New Hampshire, 3-0, to finish second to tournament-host Rhode Island.
Bowens, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, was one of two Hawks named to the all-tournament team as she tallied 35 kills (2.69 per game) and a .222 hitting percentage in three matches. Bowens also had 11 digs and six aces.
Bowens top single-match effort came in a five-set loss to URI, when she registered 16 kills six digs and three aces while hitting .222.
Vaitai, a 6-foot outside hitter, had 40 kills 15 digs, six aces and 1.5 blocks. Her best performance was against the Rams. Vaiati had 18 kills, six digs and two aces.
The weekly honors were the first two earned by the volleyball team this season.
UMES, on its first two-match winning streak of the season, travels Navy to take part in the Kristin Dickmann Memorial Tournament Friday and Saturday (Sept. 17-18). To face Howard, Hartford and Navy.
