PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball program will be taking on Norfolk State University this Friday (October 21) at 6 p.m. in the Hytche for a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference match-up.
It will be a pivotal meeting between the squads, with Norfolk (4-12, 4-2 MEAC) holding a slight edge in conference standings and a head-to-head win over the Hawks (5-13, 3-4 MEAC).
Last Time Out
The two teams last met on Friday, September 23 in Norfolk to begin conference play, with the Spartans storming back from a 0-2 deficit to force a fifth set which the Hawks dropped 14-16.
During the first two sets the Hawks played solid volleyball, with
Derionah Abner and
Nkemjika Ikemefuna dominating on offense before errors began to catch up in the last three sets. It will mostly be a battle of mental mistakes between the teams, with the two sides being nearly identical in stats last match aside from Norfolk leading in aces and having 13 less errors.
Checking In on the Hawks
The Hawks are coming off of a split weekend, dropping a home match to Coppin State in four sets on Friday (October 14) and sweeping Morgan in Baltimore on Sunday (October 16). They currently sit fifth in the conference, with wins over South Carolina State, North Carolina Central and the Bears.
In the conference the Hawks sit in the top half of most statistical categories, including allowing the second least amount of kills per set and assists per set against. The Hawks have also been accurate, allowing just 11.07 digs per set against.
Charlize Williams has been electric as of late for the Hawks, being dominant at the net both offensively and defensively. The sophomore is third in the conference with .93 blocks per set and seventh in hitting percentage at .284 and tenth with 91 kills. During conference play she is averaging 1.08 blocks per set.
Isil Yilmaz has exceled defensively since sliding into the libero role as conference play rolled around – she is averaging 3.04 digs per set, good for sixth in conference only games.
As a team, the Hawks are looking to improve in two areas, blocks against and aces against. Against an all-around solid Norfolk State squad, it will be vital for Maryland Eastern Shore to clean up the mental mistakes that hurt them in the first go-around.
Scouting the Spartans
Norfolk has shaken up the MEAC this season with a huge upset win against Delaware State in Dover but also took a hard five-set loss at home against North Carolina Central. Earlier this season against the Hawks, Norfolk was able to use the home court advantage to rally in the late sets, something Maryland Eastern Shore can also do at the Hytche.
The Spartans don't jump out to you on paper when looking how the season has gone, sitting square in the middle in most categories. Despite the numbers, Norfolk has put together what Hawk head coach
Trevor Callarman considers just a solid overall team that has a quality system in place.
What Norfolk does have is an outstanding front line in Shonte Seale, Carla Hernandez and Paola Matos, each averaging more than 2.6 kills per set. Seale currently is tied for first in the conference with 3.16 points a set.
On the back line, Norfolk is represented by Nicole Rodriguez, a graduate student who had a season high nine assists to go along with 17 assists back in the first meeting between the teams.
How to Follow
The match will be streamed live on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics Facebook, and Live Stats will be provided as well, with links to both on
www.easternshorehawks.com.
Follow the action on Twitter via @ESHawksVBall.
