FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10-24-00

AASU's Haynes Named PBC Volleyball Player Of The Week
Sophomore First AASU Honoree This Season As Pirates Gear Up For Ospreys

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Sophomore Sarah Haynes has been named the Peach Belt Conference's Volleyball Player of the Week for October 24 in the conference's weekly release.

Haynes, a 5-11 middle hitter, led the No. 24-ranked Pirates to two Peach Belt wins on the week, hitting .629 with 4.0 kills per game and 2.83 digs per game. She recorded a career-high 17 kills with no errors in 24 attempts against Augusta State for a .708 hitting percentage, the third time this season that Haynes has hit over .700 in a single match.

The Huntingtown, Md., native also hit over .700 in earlier matches against West Georgia (9/9) and at USC Aiken (9/23). She currently ranks second in the Peach Belt in hitting percentage (.350) and is 10th in the league in blocks per game (0.77).

Haynes and the Pirates host No. 21-ranked North Florida on Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. in a battle for first place in the Peach Belt Conference. UNF defeated AASU earlier this season, 3-1, on Sept. 27 and currently sits in first place in the conference with a 9-0 mark. AASU is 8-1 and has never beaten the Ospreys in 14 prior meetings between the two schools.

Wednesday's match marks the third time this season a team ranked in the AVCA Division II Top 25 Poll will visit Armstrong Atlantic State. The Pirates knocked off No. 15 Barry University, 3-1, on Sept. 8 and lost to No. 6 Tampa, 3-0, on Sept. 9.

The match will also have an impact on the NCAA's South Region rankings, as UNF is currently second and AASU is third. The top six teams from each region advance to the NCAA Championships and the Pirates are fighting for their first-ever NCAA postseason berth.

Following the showdown with North Florida, AASU travels to Lander and USC Spartanburg over the weekend for more Peach Belt Conference action, then returns home for the Pirates' final home games of the 2000 regular season. AASU hosts UNC Pembroke on Fri., Nov. 3 at 7:00 p.m., and Francis Marion on Sat., Nov. 4, at 4:00 p.m. to close out their home schedule.

- Pirates -