Weekly Notes

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University volleyball team will play host to a pair of important conference matches this weekend, as the Lady Pirates welcome Maryland Eastern Shore to Holland Hall on Friday at 6 p.m., before taking on Delaware State on Sunday at 3 p.m.

The Lady Pirates (8-8, 3-0 MEAC) are tied with UMES for first place in the MEAC Northern Division, having won six of their last seven matches and opening conference play with its best mark since opening MEAC play 4-0 in 2000.

Hampton defeated Howard in four sets this past Friday in Holland Hall to eclipse 2010's win total, while UMES (12-6, 3-0 MEAC), the preseason favorite to win the MEAC North, has won seven straight matches following a three-set win over Morgan State on Sunday.

Delaware State (3-13, 2-2 MEAC) comes into the weekend off a five-set loss to Coppin State on Sunday.

Sophomore Sheileen Pagan (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) leads the MEAC in digs on defense in conference play, totaling 71 for an average on 5.92 per set – nearly two sets more per set than second-place Tracey Copley of Norfolk State.

Junior Mariah Baylor (Minneapolis, Minn.) is second in the MEAC in conference play in blocks, averaging 1.42 per set, while sophomore Petra Parros (Bloomfield, N.J.) ranks seventh with 1.00 blocks per set in MEAC competition.

Senior Mianna Armstrong (Lomond, Alberta) is tied for sixth in the MEAC play with 0.50 service aces per set, totaling six in three MEAC matches.

Freshman Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) is tied for fourth in the MEAC in kills in conference play with 36 – an average of 3.60 per set. She is also seventh in the MEAC in conference play in digs on defense, averaging 3.20 per set.

Prior to the match against Howard, Kraskura, who is sixth in the MEAC in points in conference play with 4.10 per set, had recorded three straight double-doubles.

Senior Lihi Elkayam (Misgav, Israel) is closing in on Hampton's all-time record for career assists, currently held by Brenda Gonzalez (1998-2001). Elkayam has 277 assists in 44 sets played so far this season, an average of 6.30 per set (ninth-best in the MEAC) and giving her 2,533 assists for her career.

Elkayam is only 28 assists shy of tying Gonzalez, and she is third all-time in program history in assists per set, averaging 7.58 assists per set in 334 career sets played heading into this weekend's action.

Hampton is 26-23 all-time against Maryland Eastern Shore, though UMES has won the last 12 meetings between the two teams — including all four of last season's matches. Hampton last defeated UMES on Oct. 25, 2005, when the Lady Pirates won in four sets in Princess Anne, Md.

The Lady Pirates are 30-12 all-time against Delaware State, though the Lady Hornets have won the last nine meetings and 12 of the last 13. Hampton last defeated Delaware State on Oct. 20, 2005, when the Lady Pirates won in straight sets in Holland Hall.

Head coach Pedro Gonzalez is 0-10 against Maryland Eastern Shore and 0-8 against Delaware State.

For more information on Hampton University volleyball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.