After being bridesmaids in the MEAC Volleyball Tournament three of the past four seasons, Maryland Eastern Shore is looking to become the bride this year.
MEAC teams played expanded conference schedules this season with the addition of North Carolina Central and Savannah State. That resulted in Northern Division teams playing 12 conference matches, and Southern Division teams playing eight. The Lady Hawks, who lost to eventual champion South Carolina State in the quarterfinals of the 2010 tournament, were a perfect 12-0 for the best record in the conference.
It is the fourth undefeated season for the Lady Hawks' in Coach Don Metil's five-year tenure. Yet they don't have a conference crown to show for all of their winning. That's a situation Metil is striving to rectify at the 2011 MEAC Tournament, which be held Coppin State Friday through Sunday.
"We've been 10-0 before,'' Metil says. "This is the first time the conference has had a 12-match schedule, so being undefeated is nothing new. It always seems like it's something we do on our end makes us falter. We've been doing a lot of mental toughness. We have a lot of confidence. My job is to make sure we're not overconfident.''
The top four teams from the Northern Division and the top four from the Southern Division are eligible for the tournament. Maryland Eastern Shore is the top seed in the Northern bracket. The Lady Hawks are joined by Morgan State (8-4, the No. 2 seed; Hampton (7-5), the No. 3 seed, and Howard (5-7), which won the tiebreaker over Norfolk State) to earn the fourth and final spot in the Northern Division.
Florida A&M (9-1) is the top seed in the Southern Division; South Carolina State (8-4), No. 2; Bethune-Cookman (6-4), No.3, and North Carolina Central (5-5), No. 4.
Last year with Florida A&M, which had won nine consecutive regular season and tournament titles, experiencing an offseason, Metil says the Lady Hawks may have been a little too sure of themselves last year, and that contributed to them failing to win the title.
"We knew FAMU was weaker,'' he says. "We laid down, and we and got shocked by South Carolina State, deservedly so.''
South Carolina State defeated Maryland Eastern Shore in four sets - ending the Lady Hawks' streak of three consecutive championship match appearances - en route to its first tournament title in 20 years.
The Lady Hawks' opening opponent is conference newcomer North Carolina Central. Maryland Eastern Shore defeated the Lady Eagles 3-0 six weeks ago. However, Metil says the Lady Hawks will be facing a completely different squad. Middle setter Kalin Russell, Alice Genna and Shantel Moore all sat out the Lady Eagles' regular season loss but are healthy will play in the rematch, which, combined with North Carolina Central's five-set victory against South Carolina State, the runner-up in the South Division, makes Metil a bit wary.
"It won't be an easy road,'' he says. "Just as everybody is saying, 'We don't want to face UMES,' we might be saying the same thing about NCCU.''
Maryland Eastern Shore boasts one of the conference's top players in freshman outside hitter Saitua Iosia. She leads the conference in kills (4.14) and points (4.82), and she is No. 5 in service aces with 0.39. Iosia was named MEAC Rookie of the Week seven times and Player of the Week three times. In addition, she was the American Volleyball Coaches Association Nov. 8 Player of the Week. It was the first time in more than two years that a freshman earned that honor.
"She's performing well, and others are stepping around her,'' Metil says. "She knows she's part of a really good team. She hasn't been affected by the attention she has gotten.''
Iosia's parents are flying in to Baltimore from California for the MEAC Tournament, and Metil says their presence should motivate her to play at an even higher level.
South Carolina State has flown under the radar this season while finishing second to Florida A&M in the Southern Division. But that's fine with interim coach Donika Sutton, an assistant coach with the Lady Bulldogs the previous two seasons.
MEAC coaches and sports information directors picked South Carolina State to finish second in the Southern Division in their preseason poll. Sutton says team members felt that as defending conference champions, they deserved more consideration, and they used the snub for motivation as they started the season 5-0. Sutton expects that motivation to carryover into the conference tournament. However, she says that alone won't be enough for them to successfully defend their crown.
"The key to our success is us playing together and working hard every point, every play,'' she says. "As long as we do that, I don't foresee anybody beating us.''
Senior setter Bria Brimmer, a two-time All-MEAC performer, and junior middle hitter
Shabree Roberson, a two-time All-Conference selection, and junior Libero Melissa Robinson are the Lady Bulldogs' top players. Roberson leads the MEAC in hitting percentage (.324) and blocks (1.00), and she is No.9 in points (3.48). Brimmer is second in assists (9.4), Robinson is No. 3 in service aces with 54.
Sutton, however, says it is senior middle hitter Tiffane Jackson who has been the Lady Bulldogs' catalyst. Jackson is No.9 in blocks (0.68), but her value to her team goes beyond her statistical contributions.
"She has really blossomed,'' Sutton says. "She's a pick-me-up player. She plays with great intensity. She has been the surprise player of the year.''
Florida A&M is itching to reclaim the conference title after having it nine-year championship run halted with a four-set loss to Delaware State in the quarterfinals of the 2010 tournament. The Lady Rattlers won their fifth consecutive South Division crown with a 9-1 record this season.
The youthful Lady Rattlers don't have any seniors on their 10-player roster. Sophomore Diana Gonzales is No.3 in the conference in assists (9.32) and junior Carol Marquez is the leader in digs (4.65).
"FAMU has a lot of good talent,'' South Carolina State's Sutton says. "They will be a good battle for anybody in the tournament, but there is a lot of talent in the North and South.''