Oct. 28, 2010

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook University volleyball team will host two key conference matches this weekend at Pritchard Gymnasium, taking on New Hampshire on Friday at 7 p.m. before facing off against Providence on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Seawolves are currently tied for fourth in the America East with UNH and are a game ahead of Providence. The top four teams qualify for the 2010 America East tournament.

Last Time Out
Senior Ashley Headen (Alexandria, Va.) tallied a game-high 19 kills and senior Jeanette Gibbs (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) recorded a season-best 23 digs but Michelle Cordell and Kami Nethersole each had 11 kills to lead the Hartford Hawks to a 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23) victory over Stony Brook on Sunday afternoon.

Seawolves News & Notes
The Seawolves split a pair of matches with Hartford last weekend... SBU hit .343 in the win over the Hawks on Friday ... junior Alicia Nelson (Apple Valley, Minn.) led three Seawolves in double-figures with 15 kills on a .433 hitting percentage ... freshman Evann Slaughter (Clinton, Md.) tallied a career-best 14 kills while Headen totaled 12 kills on a .750 hitting percentage ... junior Kelsey Sullivan (Hamilton, Va.) orchestrated the Seawolves offense, dishing out 37 assists ... Nelson ranks second in the America East with 318 kills ... Stony Brook ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage and first in service aces ... Nelson had career-high 21 kills in the first match-up with New Hampshire this season.

Scouting the Wildcats
UNH split a home-and-home series with Providence last weekend with both teams earning a sweep at its home venue. Sarah Heldman ranks second in the conference with 8.89 assists per set while Morgan Thatcher ranks is fourth in hitting percentage (.258). Lauren Laquerre had 17 kills in the Wildcats four-set win over the Seawolves earlier this season.

Scouting the Friars
In its first season in the conference, the Friars enter the weekend after splitting a pair of matches with New Hampshire last weekend. Lauren Fletcher ranks second in the America East in hitting percentage (.326), fourth in kills per set (3.69) and first in blocks per set (1.18). The Seawolves defeated the Friars, 3-0, in the conference opener behind 14 kills from Nelson and 10 from Headen. SBU held the Friars to a .074 hitting percentage and no Providence player reached double-digit in kills.