UMES ANNOUNCES 2009 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE TYLER BIRNBAUM JUNE 25, 2009 Lady Hawks begin year on 13-match road trip; host eight at Hytche Center PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Eight home matches highlight the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's volleyball schedule, announced Thursday by the school. Coming off his second consecutive 20-win season and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference northern division championship, third-year head coach Don Metil returns six letterwinners and welcomes six newcomers to a squad which lost in the conference championship match to Florida A&M. The Lady Hawks begin the season with 13 straight road matches and at the Tribe Invitational, hosted by William and Mary, on Aug. 28 against North Carolina A&T at 12 p.m. UMES will also face the Tribe, Ohio State and Rider on the weekend in Williamsburg, Va. UMES starts September at Runnin' Bulldog Classic, in Boiling Springs, N.C. against Wofford (Sept. 4) and Gardner-Webb and Winston-Salem State (Sept. 5). The road trip continues at the Delaware State Invitational Sept. 11-12. UMES plays Navy, La Salle, and Norfolk State at Memorial Hall in Dover, Del. The Lady Hawks then head to the Pitt Blue and Gold Tournament for matchups with Horizon League foes Valparaiso and Youngstown State and the Big East's Pittsburgh Sept. 19-20. UMES will open its home slate hosting the Hampton Inn Invitational at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center. The Lady Hawks welcome Northeast Conference member Sacred Heart and MEAC rival Norfolk State Sept. 26. UMES visits South Carolina State for its sixth and final in-season tournament Oct 2-3 to play N.C. A&T, the host Bulldogs and Savannah State before beginning MEAC action at Morgan State (Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.). The Lady Hawks play their first conference home match of the season Oct. 16 against Hampton at 6 p.m. After a short two-match road swing to Coppin State (Oct. 18) and Howard (Oct. 23), UMES closes the regular season with five of six home matches. UMES' final road match is at Hampton on Nov. 16. Senior night is slated for Nov. 13 against North Carolina Central at 7 p.m. the week prior to the MEAC Championship on Nov. 20-21. UMES finished 2008 at 25-9 and 10-0 in MEAC play, not dropping a regular-season set to a conference opponent.