PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – In the thick of the season, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball program will be hosting Delaware State University at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 29 for the third game of the Hawks Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule.
The Hawks (2-10, 0-2 MEAC) are currently on a seven-game skid, while the visiting Hornets (11-4, 1-1 MEAC) enter the game after a huge upset by Norfolk State University.
Checking In on the Hawks
It was a tough weekend for the Hawks entering MEAC play, dropping a game on the road at Norfolk and struggling to get the offense going at home against Howard University. Against Howard, the Hawks had their lowest hitting percentage of the season at just .063 and while they forced four sets, they only grabbed 41 overall points.
Derionah Abner has been key for the Hawks on offense, tallying 100 kills so far this season while barely missing a single rally on the court. Head coach
Trevor Callarman is working
Nkemjika Ikemefuna into the rotation as well after spending the early part of the season as a weapon off the bench with 90 kills.
After earning MEAC All-Rookie team honors last fall,
Charlize Williams has not disappointed in her sophomore season, ranking seventh in the conference in hitting (.285%) and second in blocks per set at 1.02 – including a season high 12 combined at Norfolk State on Friday.
Against a tough Delaware State squad, the Maryland Eastern Shore crew will need to focus on fundamentals as the Hawks sit at seventh in the conference against services while Delaware State is first for aces. It'll also be a test at the net, with the Hornets leading the conference in blocks with the Hawks being the most blocked in the conference.
The Buzz on the Hornets
Delaware State is definitely a team that shouldn't be slept on, coming off of a 26-5 season and making it to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. The Hawks are also on a two-game losing streak to the Hornets.
The Hornets are led by Alondra Maldonado, a preseason All-MEAC selection who currently leads Delaware State with 139 kills and is third on the team with 41 blocks. The junior has 24 kills against the Hawks in two matches. Behind Maldonado are Karen Cordero, Valeria Otero and Sydney Lewis – all of whom have at least 100 kills.
It's a split system for the Hornets, with Malgorzata Andersohn and Alayna Lacy each racking up at least 200 assists each.
Sydney Lewis, a second-team preseason All-MEAC selection, has been the overall top Hornet, placing fourth in kills on the team, and leads the conference with 61 total blocks at 1.2 per set. Her well-rounded play has her at sixth in the conference in points per set.
How to Follow
The game will be streamed live on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Facebook and Live Stats, as always, will be provided. Links for both with be accessible on www.easternshorehawks.com
Follow the action on Twitter via @ESHawksVBall.
