Sports News: Fall 1999

November 8, 1999

LADY ‘HOUNDS RECEIVE THIRD STRAIGHT NCAA BID

See also: NCAA Volleyball Championship Tournament Schedule

BETHLEHEM, PA --- With a 25-7 record and a ranking of second in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional poll, the Moravian College women’s volleyball squad was awarded its third straight NCAA Tournament bid Sunday night.

The Lady Greyhounds were surprised by the announcement since the NCAA had instituted automatic berths in most sports on the Division III level. There are 48 teams in the NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament and 45 were awarded automatic berths. Moravian was able to gain one of the three at-large bids to the National Tournament.

Under the leadership of head coach Shelley Sorensen-Bauder, the Lady Greyhounds have posted a 101-25 record over the last four years, made the NCAA Tournament the last three seasons and played in the Middle Atlantic Conference Championship match, for the third consecutive year, this past Saturday.

Moravian, the second seed, will have a first round bye at the NCAA Tournament hosted by Juniata College which begins on Thursday, November 11th. Thursday’s first round match-ups are Franklin & Marshall College (#3), which also received an at-large bid, versus Eastern College (#6) at 5:00 p.m. followed by the University of Scranton (#4) against Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (#5) match. Moravian will play the winner of the Franklin & Marshall match on Friday at 5:00 p.m. while top-ranked Juniata will play the Scranton-Richard Stockton winner at 8:00 p.m. The championship match is set for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Senior outside hitter Amy Sandt (Allentown/William Allen HS) has led the Lady Greyhounds on the court this season. Sandt set a pair of records in the in MAC semifinal match against Scranton, a 3-2 Moravian win, on Saturday. Sandt had 26 kills in the match to give her 1,455 kills for her career, breaking the mark of 1,449 set by current assistant coach Stephanie Rickards last season. She added 39 digs to lift her season total to 525 digs, surpassing her own school record set last fall. For the year, Sandt has 394 kills, 541 digs, 43 service aces and 34 blocks.

Senior setter Kaitie Kramer (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic HS) is also closing in on a school record. Kramer, who holds the career record for assists, needs just 12 assists to break the school record she set in 1998. This fall, Kramer has 1,149 assists, 342 digs, 117 kills, 40 blocks and 53 service aces.

Junior middle hitter Becky Falk (Allentown/Dieruff HS) is second on the Lady Greyhound squad with 303 kills. Falk has also added 64 blocks. Junior middle hitter Sara Young (Tunkhannock/ Tunkhannock HS) leads the team with 75 blocks and has added 239 kills. Falk and Young rotate at the middle hitter position for Moravian.

Sophomore opposite hitter Sara Walkiewicz (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has contributed 151 kills, 279 digs, 56 blocks and 52 service aces after transferring to the Bethlehem school this season.

Sophomore outside hitter Krystol Kessack (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) has 106 kills and 241 digs this season while junior outside hitter Kendra Insley (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood HS) has 93 kills and 151 digs. The duo has split time at one outside hitter position this season.

Junior defensive specialists Emily Shonk (Ligonier/Ligonier HS) and Natalie Balaziuk (Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic HS) split time in the back row for the Lady Greyhounds. Shonk has added 336 digs and 59 service aces while Balaziuk has 256 digs and 61 service aces. The school record for service aces in a season is 67 set by Sandt last fall.

Also contributing to the Lady Greyhounds this season have been junior Lisa Ann Herpok (Hamden, CT/Sacred Heart Academy) and freshman middle hitter Vicki Fisher (East Brunswick, NJ/ East Brunswick). Herpok has 14 kills and 12 digs while Fisher has 11 kill, 15 digs and seven blocks in limited action.