Tuesday, October 30, 2001

MORAVIAN VOLLEYBALL MAKES SIXTH STRAIGHT POSTSEASON APPEARANCE

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women's volleyball team will make its sixth straight appearance in the postseason when the second seeded Greyhounds host third seed Susquehanna University in a Commonwealth Conference Semifinal on Wednesday, October 31st at Johnston Hall in Bethlehem beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday's other semifinal will have top seeded Juniata College, which has won 243 straight conference matches and the last 20 conference championships, hosting fourth seed Lebanon Valley College.  The winners of the two semifinal matches will meet on Saturday, November 3rd for the Commonwealth Conference Championships and an automatic berth in the 2001 NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Greyhounds, who are 23-7 on the season, have won over 20 matches each of the last six seasons and are coming off a 3-1 record at the Elizabethtown College Halloween Classic last weekend and a 3-0 win over DeSales University on Monday.  Moravian, which has played for the conference championship in each of the last five years and has made three NCAA Tournament appearances, was third at the tournament based on point spread.

Sophomore middle hitter Kim Zipf (Wyomissing, PA/Holy Name HS) leads the Greyhounds in hitting with 371 kills (an average of 4.03 kills per game) and 359 digs (3.90 digs per game) and she has added 27 service aces and a .349 hitting percentage.  Zipf was named to the All-Tournament Teams at the Messiah College Tournament, the Gettysburg Battlefield Classic and the Elizabethtown Halloween Classic.

Sophomore setter Amy Lawrence (Gettysburg, PA/Delone Catholic HS) has also named to the All-Tournament Teams at Messiah, Gettysburg and Elizabethtown as well as at the Western Maryland Tournament.  Lawrence runs the Greyhound offense with 1,134 assists (10.60 assists per game).  Lawrence also has 60 service aces, 308 digs, 19 service aces and 82 kills.

Sophomore right-side hitter Sara Hollenbacher (Reading, PA/Reading Central Catholic HS) is fourth on the squad with 208 kills and she has added a .306 hitting percentage, 74 digs and 42 blocks.  Junior outside hitter Sara Walkiewicz (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has added 280 kills, 53 service aces, 13 blocks and 283 digs this season.  

Sophomore middle hitter Shannon McNeil (Reading, PA/Reading Central Catholic HS) leads the Greyhounds with 75 blocks and she has added 260 kills.  Sophomore outside hitter Mary Kate Cordisco (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame HS) has added 114 digs and 111 kills.  Junior middle hitter Vicki Fisher (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick HS) has 44 kills and 20 blocks while freshman outside hitter Christina Wallace (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has 35 kills and 35 digs.

Sophomore defensive specialist Alissa Bucsi (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has 61 service aces this season to go along with 203 digs.  Senior defensive specialist Krystol Kessack (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) has 300 digs on the year and she leads Moravian with 75 service aces.  Sophomore setter Andrea Frankenfield (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus HS) has contributed 166 digs and 42 service aces.