Skyhawks earn highest seed in NE-10 Tournament since 1996
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| Sydney Maxey leads Stonehill offensively this season averaging 3.24 kills per set. |
EASTON, Mass. (November 6, 2011) – Second-seeded Stonehill College, ranked fourth overall in the latest NCAA Division II East Regional Rankings, will participate in the Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) Women's Volleyball Championships for the second-straight season when the Skyhawks host seventh-seeded Southern Connecticut State University, ranked 10th overall in the NCAA Division II East Regional Rankings, at Merkert Gymnasium in first round action on Tuesday, November 8 at 7 p.m.
Admission for Tuesday's game is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for senior citizens and children and $1.00 for students. The winner of Tuesday's match will play the winner of #6 Pace University (20-9, 10-5 NE-10) and #3 Adelphi University (19-7, 12-3 NE-10).
Thanks to a generous donation from Student Affairs, the first 100 students to attend the NE-10 Quarterfinal match will get in free.
Fans that are unable to attend the contest can view live stats of the match via Stonehill College's athletics website, www.stonehillskyhawks.com, or watch a video feed of the match via www.stonehillskyhawks.tv.
Stonehill (26-5, 14-1 NE-10) enters the NE-10 Tournament one win shy of tying the program record for most wins in a season which was set in 1996 (27-8). The Skyhawks have not lost at home this season dropping just seven sets on the Merkert Gymnasium hardwood.
Stonehill ranks among the best in many categories in the NE-10 including first in hitting percentage (.221), tied for first in kills per set (12.69), second in assists per set (11.70), second in digs per set (16.31) and second in service aces per set (2.04).
Southern Connecticut, losers of three-straight matches, checks into the NE-10 Tournament with a 19-10 record overall and an 8-7 mark in NE-10 play. The Owls rank third overall in the NE-10 in blocks per set (1.83), fourth in service aces per set (2.01) and fifth in digs per set (15.18).
On Saturday, November 5, Stonehill defeated Southern Connecticut, 3-2, at home in the final match of the regular season for both squads serving as a NE-10 Quarterfinal round preview.
After combining for 18 total attack errors in the first two sets, the Skyhawks offense found their rhythm compiling 41 kills over the next three sets for a .391 hitting percentage and the eventual come-from-behind win over the Owls.
Sophomore outside hitter Sydney Maxey (Hutto, Texas/Hutto) has guided the offense all season ranking second in the NE-10 in total kills (340) and fourth in kills per set (3.24). Maxey has also contributed on the defensive end ranking fourth in the NE-10 in total digs (374) and eighth in digs per set (3.56).
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| Freshman setter Emily Iverson ranks 33rd overall in all of NCAA Division in assists per set averaging 10.47 assists this season. |
Freshman setter Emily Iverson (Elmhurst, Ill./York) has piloted the offense averaging 10.47 assists per set. Iverson ranks 33rd overall in all of NCAA Division II and fourth among all freshman setters in the country. Iverson is the only setter in the NE-10 to average over 10 assists per set this season.
Junior libero Erin Kelly (Tinley Park, Ill./Marist) is fourth in the NE-10 in total digs (436) and eighth overall in digs per set (3.79). Sophomore right-side hitter Kirsten Arvidson (Andover, Mass./Andover) is second on the squad in kills per set at 2.59 while senior outside hitter Laura Huselton (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) is third at 2.35.
Huselton, who reached the 1,000 career dig mark in a 3-1 win over Saint Michael's earlier this season, is seven kills shy of 1,000 for her career entering Tuesday's match versus the Owls.
For Southern Connecticut, sophomore Sarah Beres (Ellington, Conn./Ellington) ranks first on the team in kills per set (2.83) and blocks per set (0.97). Senior outside hitter Megan Lyons (Cold Spring, N.Y./Haldane) is second on the squad in kills per set at 2.60. Junior setter Kimberly Lachowicz (Mansfield, Texas/Mansfield) facilitates the offense averaging 9.36 assists per set.
Last season, Stonehill defeated American International College, 3-0, to advance to the NE-10 semifinal round before losing to the University of New Haven, 3-0. The Skyhawks have never advanced to the final round of the NE-10 Tournament in program history making five appearances in the semifinal round.
The NE-10 championship match will be played at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, November 12 at a time to be determined later.
2011 Northeast-10 Volleyball Championship Seeds
1. New Haven
2. Stonehill
3. Adelphi
4. Saint Rose
5. American Int'l
6. Pace
7. So. Connecticut
8. UMass Lowell
2011 Championship Schedule
Tuesday, November 8
Quarterfinals
All matches to be played at 7 p.m.
Match 1: #8 UMass Lowell at #1 New Haven
Match 2: #7 Southern Connecticut at #2 Stonehill
Match 3: #6 Pace at #3 Adelphi
Match 4: #5 American Int'l at #4 Saint Rose
Final Four at Site of the Highest Remaining Seed
Friday, November 11
Semifinals
Match 5: Match 1 winner vs. Match 4 winner
Match 6: Match 2 winner vs. Match 3 winner
Saturday, November 12
Championship
Match 7: Match 5 winner vs. Match 6 winner
- www.stonehillskyhawks.com -