This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics, 9-5-00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9-5-00

This Week In Armstrong Atlantic State Athletics

Tuesday, September 5
No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, September 6
No Events Scheduled

Thursday, September 7
No Events Scheduled

Friday, September 8
• Volleyball hosts the 2000 Armstrong Atlantic State Pirate Volleyball Classic
Matches begin at 11:30 a.m.
AASU vs. Barry, 7:30 p.m.
• Women's Cross Country at Georgia Southern Twilight (Statesboro, Ga.)

Saturday, September 9
• Volleyball hosts the 2000 Armstrong Atlantic State Pirate Volleyball Classic
Matches begin at 9:00 a.m.
AASU vs. West Georgia, Noon
AASU vs. Tampa, 7:30 p.m.
• Women's Cross Country at UNC Pembroke Invitational (Pembroke, N.C.)

Sunday, September 10
• Volleyball hosts the 2000 Armstrong Atlantic State Pirate Volleyball Classic
AASU vs. Florida Southern, 1:00 p.m.

Volleyball (7-1, 0-0 Peach Belt)

The AASU volleyball squad traveled to Allendale, Mich., to take part in the Grand Valley State/Amerihost Invitational over the weekend. AASU took second place in the tournament, finishing 3-1.

AASU opened the tournament with a 15-4, 15-10, 15-9 win over Saginaw Valley State on Friday afternoon behind 20 kills from senior Micah Roman and 56 assists from sophomore Erin Melius, then faced the No. 24-ranked Lakers of Grand Valley State on Friday evening. GVSU sent the Pirates to their first defeat of the year, 15-3, 15-8, 16-14.

Saturday, AASU rebounded to pick up two more wins. The Pirates defeated Minnesota State-Mankato, 15-5, 15-10, 15-8, behind 10 kills each from Roman, sophomore Sofie Hakansson and senior Colleen Fitzsimons, then knocked off Lake Superior State, 15-6, 15-8, 15-10, behind 12 kills each from Hakansson, Fitzsimons and sophomore Sarah Haynes.

Roman was named to the All-Tournament team. The Pirates return to action on Friday, Sept. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 10 as they host the 2000 Armstrong Atlantic State Pirate Volleyball Classic, featuring 14 teams and 26 matches over three days.

Cross Country

The 2000 AASU women's cross country squad opened the season successfully by capturing the Georgia Southern University Twilight Opener on Friday evening.

Senior Nikki Garland continued her in-state dominance, nearly beating the field by two minutes as she finished first over the 4k course in a time of 14:59. Senior Amanda Lagesse came in third with a time of 16:47, followed by sophomore Jillian Charles (9^th, 17:15), senior Marie-Claude Ostiguy (10^th, 17:16) and sophomore Michaela Kratochvilova (16^th, 17:34). Rounding out the Pirate finishers were freshmen Zsofi Golopencza (24^th, 18:09) and freshman Sarah Harris (33^rd, 19:51).

AASU finished with 38 points to capture the team title, followed by Valdosta State (44), host Georgia Southern (83), Morehouse (118) and Savannah State (134).

The Pirates next travel to Pembroke, N.C., to compete in the UNC Pembroke Invitational on Saturday, September 9.

- Pirates -