UMES ADVANCES TO MEAC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH WIN OVER B-CU

BALTIMORE-The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lady Hawks defeated the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 3-0, to advance to tomorrow's championship match during the 2009 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Championship tournament at the Coppin Center on the campus of Coppin State University.

Maryland Eastern Shore dominated the first set and held Bethune-Cookman to 10 points. The second set was much more competitive with the two teams trading points back and forth. UMES led 24-21 when they pulled away with a kill by Whitney Johnson to seal the victory.  Set three was similar to the second set with each team going back and forth through the first 14 points.

Bethune-Cookman services and attack errors aided the Lady Hawks to a 25-20 victory in the third and final set.

Sophomore Christine Edwards guided the Lady Hawks to tomorrow's final, which will be their third consecutive MEAC volleyball championship appearance, with 12 kills and eight digs.

Kaiyana Johnson aided Bethune-Cookman in the loss with six kills, while Shakhea Moore-Hagins and Jessica Wilson posted seven digs in the defensive effort.

The Lady Hawks await the winner of the Florida A&M -Delaware State match which is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in the Coppin Center.

The volleyball championship tournament will conclude on Sunday beginning at noon. The championship finale will be televised on ESPNU in a tape-delayed broadcast, on the same day, beginning at 10 p.m.

For more information on the 2009 MEAC Volleyball Championship or other MEAC sponsored events, log on to www.MEACSports.com.