The Moravian College women’s volleyball program has its sights set on a fifth straight trip to the postseason in 2009 with the return of five starters and eight letterwinners. The Greyhounds look to challenge for a berth into the Landmark Conference Tournament.

Head coach Shelley Bauder looks for improvement over last year’s 14-19 record that reached the semifinals of the Landmark Conference tournament in the conference’s second campaign.

Sophomore middle hitter/outside hitter Katie Moquete (Midland Park, NJ/Midland Park HS), who was named the Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year, leads the returning Greyhounds after 309 kills, six assists, 12 service aces, 95 digs and 32 total blocks in her debut season. Junior outside hitter/right side hitter Molly DuVall (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township HS) had 192 kills, 15 assists, four service aces, 220 digs and 47 total blocks a year ago while junior middle hitter Mary King (Paramus, NJ/Paramus HS) had 180 kills, nine assists, 32 service aces, 48 digs and 61 total blocks.

Junior middle hitter Christine Reeser (Telford, PA/Christopher Dock HS), pictured at right, contributed 149 kills, five assists, one service ace, 12 digs and 66 blocks. Sophomore setter Kristin Hannings (Levittown, PA/Pennsbury HS) had 32 kills, 582 assists, 41 service aces, 231 digs and 14 blocks.

Junior setter/libero Christine Poole (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central HS) contributed 364 assists, 31 kills, 95 digs, 43 service aces and 14 blocks in 2008 while junior defensive specialist Katie Kercher (Whitehall, PA/Whiatehall HS) had 204 digs, 28 service aces and seven assists in her first year with the Greyhounds. Sophomore defensive specialist Ashley Schmidt (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) added 312 digs, 24 assists and 23 digs for Moravian.

Coach Bauder is looking for help from a strong class of incoming freshmen and hopes to return to the postseason for a fifth straight season this year in the Landmark Conference playoffs.

Due to the distance between the schools, the entire conference schedule will be played over two weekends, one at Moravian in early October, and the other at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in mid-October.

The Greyhounds will begin their 2009 on Tuesday, September 1st in a non-conference match at Swarthmore College. Moravian will host the 7th Annual Greyhound Premiere Tournament on September 4th and 5th with a total of nine teams competing.