PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball program will look to keep the winning ways rolling at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 14 as Coppin State University visits the Hytche Athletic Center for a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference match.
 
Currently the Hawks (4-12, 2-3 MEAC) are on a two-game winning streak after a road trip to the Carolinas, while the Eagles (13-8, 4-1 MEAC) suffered their first conference loss to Howard last Sunday (October 9).
 
Checking In on the Hawks
 
The Hawks are riding high after picking up their first two conference wins of the season against South Carolina State (3-0) and North Carolina Central (3-1). It was a solid weekend all around, with the Hawks out pacing both teams in attack, set, and serve percentage, as well both digs and blocks.
 
While it was a great weekend as a team, individually two Hawks earned weekly MEAC honors with freshman Nkemjika Ikemefuna being named Rookie of the Week for the second time this season and Charlize Williams taking home Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Ikemefuna was an offensive juggernaut during the trip, with 25 kills over seven sets, good for 3.57 kills per set at a .432 attack percent, while setting a career high 15 kills against the Eagles. She also smashed three aces in the two matches and chipped in three block assists at the net.
 
Coming into her own as a leader for the Hawks, Williams had two solo blocks and five assisted blocks in seven sets, while also being third on the team with 14 kills at a phenomenal .560 attack percentage. The sophomore did not commit an attack error in any of her 25 chances against the MEAC opponents.
 
Entering the weekend, the Hawks sit at fifth in the conference, tied with North Carolina Central and behind Howard and Norfolk State, who are tied at third but still need to make up a game against one another.
 
Offensively, the Hawks have held their own, averaging 11.23 kills per set to the 10.65 put up by the oppositions but have done more damage at a distance than at the net. The Hawks have a respectable .181 hitting percentage, good for fourth in the conference, but have been the most blocked team as well.
 
On defense, the Hawks have been decent on keeping opponents from scoring, sitting at second in the conference on opponents kills per set at 10.65 and are in the top half in opponents hitting percentage against. Communication errors that that were prevalent earlier in the season have become to come around as well, with the back line and passing attack becoming more comfortable with one another.
 
Calculating Coppin
 
Visiting Coppin State will be a true test for the Hawks, with the Eagles sitting atop the conference tied with Delaware State after falling 3-1 to the Bison in their last match. The Eagles were picked to finish third in the conference and had more than half the Preseason All-MEAC team – including Preseason Player of the Year Miajavon Coleman.
 
Coleman has lived up to the honors so far, taking one MEAC Player of the Week award earlier this season and leading the conference in points per set (3.23) and kills per set (2.94). She has also added two solo blocks and 28 block assists so far.
 
It was a strong run for the Eagles before being stopped by Howard, going 11-1 since September 9^th – the only loss coming to preseason America East favorite UMBC.
 
Coppin was uncharacteristic against preseason MEAC favorites Howard, playing strong in a 25-23 first set win but went on to be outhit in the next three sets to drop the match. The Bison focused defensively on Eagle star outside hitter Coleman, keeping her to just five kills on 27 attempts.
 
The Eagles still picked up a weekly honor even with the split weekend, earning MEAC Setter of the Week was Andrea Tsvenanova – her fifth honor of the season. She currently is second in the MEAC with 9.15 assists per set, first in aces per set (.81) and eighth in digs per set (2.25). Nationally, Tsvenanova leads in aces (64), is second in aces per set and is 13^th in total assists (723).
 
In addition to Coleman and Tsvenanova, the Hawks will also need to pay attention to Ammaarah Williams and Hope Casel, who both have over 180 kills and are averaging over 2.5 kills per set.
 
The Hawks attack will look to avoid libero Ashley Roman making any game saving plays, the senior leads the conference by more than a whole extra dig per set and is 24^th in the nation at 4.94 per set. She is also sixth in the nation with 390 total digs.
 
At the net it will be a battle with the Hawks' Williams sitting second in the conference in blocks per set, followed closely by Coppin's Yaniris Miller-Green and Geraldyn Palacios in the third and fourth spot.
 
The most dangerous part of the Eagle attack will be at the service line, with the Eagles being sixth in the country with an average of two aces per set.
 
How to Follow
 
The game will be streamed live on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics Facebook page for those who cannot attend, and Live Stats are available, with links for both provided on www.easternshorehawks.com.
 
After the game the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletic Department will be hosting the 12^th Annual Hawk Hysteria, an opportunity for students and fans of the men's and women's basketball programs to get their first glimpse at the squads. The free event is slated to begin at 8 p.m. with free t-shirts for the first 300 attendees.
 
Follow the action on Twitter via @ESHawksVBall.