FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9-6-07

AASU Hosts 2007 Chatham Orthopedics Volleyball Classic

Armstrong Atlantic (2-5) will open up its home schedule after beginning the season with a 12-day road swing that took the Pirates to Memphis, Tenn., and Alaska for seven matches. Despite the record, the Pirates are upbeat after four of the five matches went five games. AASU will face Coker College (4-4) at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, then the Pirates will take on SAC foe Catawba (7-1) at 7:00 p.m.

Friday’s action begins with fellow Peach Belt foe UNC Pembroke (6-3) taking on one of two undefeated teams in the field, Florida Tech (7-0), at 11:00 a.m. The other undefeated team, Northwood (Mich.) (8-0), takes the court at 1:00 p.m. facing Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, making its season debut on the mainland. Northwood is among the teams receiving votes in the latest AVCA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.

The eighth team in the field is Francis Marion (4-5), who takes on Florida Tech at 3:00 p.m. on Friday in its first action. Also at 3:00 p.m., UNC Pembroke faces Catawba, then at 5:00 p.m., Northwood takes on Coker. First day action concludes at 7:00 p.m. with Francis Marion against Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras.

Several players are coming into the Classic on hot weeks, earning their respective league’s Player of the Week honors. Catawba setter Heidi Anderson was the South Atlantic Conference’s Player of the Week for helping the Indians to three out of four wins at the FMU Invitational, averaging 13.1 assists per game.

Northwood OH Lana Sorokina was the GLIAC’s North Division Player of the weekfor hitting .264 and averaging 5.18 kills per game in the Wolves’ four wins at the Findlay Invitational, earning tournament MVP honors. Francis Marion OH Jackie Phiel was the Peach Belt Player of the Week this week, averaging 3.60 kills and 3.70 digs per game in the Patriots’ first eight matches.

The host Pirates, who feature eight new players from last season’s squad that successfully defended its Peach Belt Conference regular season title, have received solid play so far from a pair of those newcomers – junior middle hitter Allyson Ray leads the Pirates in hitting percentage (.243) and blocking (1.03 per game), ranking fourth in the PBC in the latter category. Freshman Elimari Escalante leads the Pirates in digs with 90 (3.60 per game) and service aces with 17 (0.68 per game), the latter leading the PBC.

For a complete schedule of this weekend’s action, as well as scores updated throughout the Classic, visit the tournament webpage at http://www.athletics.armstrong.edu/volley/vb2007classic.html. All four of AASU’s contests will also be webcast with live audio and video.

- Pirates -