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Beacons Shine As Little East Volleyball Favorite
Story Courtesy of the Little East Website
NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University
of Massachusetts Boston has been predicted to repeat as the Little
East volleyball regular-season champions after a vote by the eight
conference coaches’ to determine the annual preseason poll.
The Beacons sit atop the preseason survey for the second-straight
season after earning seven of the eight first-place votes and 62
total points.
Western Connecticut State University was the clear consensus
choice to finish second after receiving six second-place votes and
53 total points to outdistance themselves from No. 3 Keene State
College. The Owls garnered the final first-place selection, but
were seven points off the Colonials’ pace.
Under the watchful eye of Head Coach Terry Condon, UMass Boston
enjoyed the program’s most successful season in 2009. The
Beacons established a new single-season wins record (30), putting
an additional five victories between the 2008 squad. UMass Boston
used the momentum of a program-high 17-match win streak to boast an
overall record of 30-5. Condon and her charges swept the conference
circuit to capture the program’s first regular-season
championship and earn the right to host the Little East
Championship Tournament. The Beacons did not disappoint their home
fans as UMass Boston defeated the second-seeded Panthers, 3-2, to
raise the coveted championship trophy for the first time and enter
the NCAA Division III Tournament as the second seed in the New
England Region.
The Beacons welcome nine student-athletes back into the fold from
the 2009 team, including four starters. Last fall, UMass Boston led
the conference in several key offensive statistical categories,
including hitting percentage (.316), kills (12.41 kpg), and service
aces (2.70 apg). Sophomore middle hitter Shannon Thompson
(Moorpark, Calif.) is expected the fuel the high-powered offensive
attack in 2010. The All-America selection led the Little East in
service aces (87), while ranking third in kills (420) and fifth in
hitting percentage (.338) as a rookie. The Beacons begin their
title defense at the Trinity University (Texas) River City Classic
on Sept. 3 against Hardin-Simmons.
Head Coach Greg Poole led Western Connecticut to the
program’s highest single-season win total (26) since the
Little East began sponsoring a conference schedule in 1998. The
Colonials completed the 2009 campaign with an overall record of
26-8, marking the seventh time in the past 12 years WestConn has
posted a 20-win season. Poole guided the Colonials to their
third-straight appearance in the Little East semifinal round after
sweeping intra-state rival Eastern Connecticut, 3-0, in the opening
round match.
Western Connecticut returns a strong core group from the
record-setting 2009 campaign. The Colonials offense will once again
be organized by senior setter Samantha Hathaway (Milford, Conn.).
The All-Little East, second-team pick ranked second in the
conference in assists per game (10.47). Western Connecticut makes
its 2010 debut at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1, when the Colonials travel to
Baruch.
The Little East sponsors a single round-robin conference schedule
with each team playing seven matches. The top six teams in the
final regular-season standings will earn a berth into the 2010
Little East Volleyball Championship Tournament. The championship
tournament will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 2 with a pair of first round
matches. The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receive a bye into the semifinal
round on Friday, Nov. 5 and await the two first round winners. The
conference champion will be crowned the following afternoon and
will earn the right to represent the league in the NCAA Division
III Tournament.
Completing the preseason poll in projected order of finish are
Plymouth State University (36), Eastern Connecticut State
University (32), Rhode Island College (30), University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth (20), and University of Southern Maine
(9).
In 1989, Eastern Connecticut State University, University of
Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
(Southeastern Massachusetts University), Plymouth State University
(College), Rhode Island College, and the University of Southern
Maine each formed the Little East Conference. Western Connecticut
State University joined the conference in 1993, while Keene State
College completed the present eight-team membership in 1997.
