Beast of the East: UMES, Great Expectations

After last season's 24-4 record, Hawks feeling confident

PRINCESS ANNE, MD -- With a new coach and numerous new players in the mix in 2007, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team came out and surprised a number of people with a 24-4 season, which included 22 consecutive match victories and a trip to the MEAC tournament title match against Florida A&M. This season, the Hawks were selected as the preseason pick to repeat as the conference's Northern Division champion, and they return nearly every starter from last year, leading to optimism heading into the '08 campaign.

"The first year I got hired, I knew I had a couple good recruits, but I didn't have any expectations," UMES second-year coach Don Metil said. "But going 10-and-oh in the conference last year, and having my five, six returners and being first in the preseason poll, there's a lot of expectations, not only intrasquad, but outside the UMES community. And I think that's why I've been really, really hard on the girls, because now we do have expectations and I think they're playing well, but I think there are still a lot of errors that need to be cleaned up."

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UMES 2008-2009 VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

VT Hokie Invite
08/29/08 at Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Va. 7:00 p.m. ET
08/30/08 vs. Coastal Carolina Blacksburg, Va. 10:00 a.m. ET
vs. Winston-Salem State Blacksburg, Va. 4:00 p.m. ET

UMBC Tournament
09/05/08 at UMBC Baltimore, Md. 10:00 a.m. ET
09/06/08 vs. Duquesne Baltimore, Md. 10:00 a.m. ET
vs. Niagara Baltimore, Md. 2:00 p.m. ET

Ramada Invitational
09/12/08 vs. Butler Buffalo, N.Y. 12:00 p.m. ET
at Buffalo Buffalo, N.Y. 7:00 p.m. ET
09/13/08 vs. Maine Buffalo, N.Y. 1:00 p.m. ET

09/16/08 at Norfolk State Norfolk, Va. 7:00 p.m. ET

Colonial Challenge
09/19/08 at William & Mary Williamsburg, Va. 7:00 p.m. ET
09/20/08 vs. Elon Williamsburg, Va. 10:30 a.m. ET
vs. Radford Williamsburg, Va. 4:30 p.m. ET

NCA&T Tournament
09/26/08 at North Carolina A&T Greensboro, N.C. TBA
09/27/08 vs. Alabama State Greensboro, N.C. TBA
vs. Kentucky State Greensboro, N.C. TBA

09/28/08 at North Carolina Central Durham, N.C. 11:00 a.m. ET
10/03/08 vs. Morgan State * Princess Anne, Md. 7:00 p.m. ET
10/05/08 vs. Delaware State * Princess Anne, Md. 3:00 p.m. ET
10/08/08 at Delaware Newark, Del. 7:00 p.m. ET
10/10/08 at Hampton University * Hampton, Va. 7:00 p.m. ET
10/12/08 vs. Coppin State * Princess Anne, Md. 3:00 p.m. ET
10/15/08 at American Washington, D.C. 7:00 p.m. ET
10/17/08 vs. Howard * Princess Anne, Md. 6:00 p.m. ET
10/19/08 at Morgan State * Baltimore, Md. 3:00 p.m. ET
10/24/08 at Delaware State * Dover, Del. 6:00 p.m. ET
10/26/08 vs. Hampton University * Princess Anne, Md. 3:00 p.m. ET
10/31/08 at Coppin State * Baltimore, Md. 7:00 p.m. ET
11/02/08 at Howard * Washington, D.C. 2:00 p.m. ET

MEAC Championships
11/14/08 MEAC Championships Hampton, Va. TBA
11/15/08 MEAC Championships Hampton, Va. TBA
11/16/08 MEAC Championships Hampton, Va. TBA

*Conference Event