Notes

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University volleyball team will hold its 2011 home finale on Sunday, as the Lady Pirates will celebrate Senior Day by taking on Howard in Holland Hall at 3 p.m.

The match will be the final home contest for seniors Mianna Armstrong (Lomond, Alberta), Lihi Elkayam (Misgav, Israel), Juliana Chavez (Bogota, Colombia) and Ornela Cadavid (Cali, Colombia).

The Lady Pirates (10-12, 5-4 MEAC) come into the weekend in third place in the MEAC Northern Division, following a five-set loss to Morgan State on Sunday. Hampton has lost four of its last six matches.

Hampton has reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2007, when the Lady Pirates went 11-19 in head coach Pedro Gonzalez's first season. This is also the most conference wins for the program since Hampton went 8-7 in the MEAC in 2001.

Heading into the weekend, Howard is 5-20 overall and 4-4 in the MEAC, sitting in fourth place in the Northern Division after defeating Delaware State in five sets this past Sunday to snap a three-match losing streak.

Prior to taking on Hampton on Sunday, the Lady Bison will be in Norfolk, Va. on Friday to take on Norfolk State.

The top four teams in each division will qualify for the 2011 MEAC Championships (Nov. 18-20, hosted by Coppin State).

Sophomore Sheileen Pagan (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) currently sits fourth in the MEAC in digs on defense, averaging 3.55 per set – and totaling a team-best 270 for the season. She is also tied for the MEAC lead in digs in conference play, averaging 4.74 per set along with Karol Marquez of Florida A&M.

Armstrong is 10th overall in the conference in digs, averaging 2.59 per set. She recorded a career-high 28 digs this past Sunday against Morgan State – the second time this season Armstrong has recorded at least 20 digs.

Armstrong also has six double-doubles on the season.

Freshman Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) is also among the MEAC's best in conference play, ranking sixth in digs on defense with 3.09 per set in 35 conference sets played.

Kraskura has a team-high eight double-doubles this season – including a 22-kill, 18-dig performance this past Sunday against Morgan State. Her 22 kills against the Lady Bears are a career high.

Hampton is 15-28 all-time against Howard, and the Lady Pirates have won the last five meetings – including a 3-1 win on Oct. 7 in Holland Hall. Hampton was actually the road team in that contest; the match was played in Hampton, Va. because Howard's Burr Gymnasium was undergoing renovations.

Howard last defeated Hampton on Oct. 29, 2008, winning in three sets for the Lady Bison's sixth straight win over the Lady Pirates.

Gonzalez is 5-4 all-time against Howard.

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.