BALTIMORE, Md. (June 23, 2012)-Morgan State head volleyball coach
Ramona Riley-Bozier has announced the Lady Bears' 2012 schedule.
In addition to the 12-match Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) North Division slate, the Lady Bears' schedule will feature four regular-season tournaments and seven home contests.
“I don't think our schedule this year is really overwhelming,” said Riley-Bozier, who enters her 25th season at the helm. “We are going out to Sacrament State and that's probably going to be our toughest opponents. I am always excited to play big teams like that because it gets us ready.”
Added Riley-Bozier, “the only downfall is that kids get ready and hyped to play the big schools, but they don't come with the same physical play and do or die against the teams that you are supposed to beat.” “So I'm hoping that when we do play the big schools that we rise to the occasion and they remember Morgan State, but I'm also hoping that when we go to these other tournaments that we don't just pick up some sets, that we walk away with some victories.”
The 2012 campaign kicks off Friday, August 24 in the Battle of the Bay (Aug. 24-25), hosted by crosstown rival Coppin State. The Lady Bears will take on Maryland Baltimore County, St. John's and Towson.
The following week the team will travel to Sacramento, Calif. to take on Boise State, Sacramento State and Saint Mary's (Calif.) in the Sacramento State Invitational (August 31-Sept. 1).
Morgan State will return to Baltimore to take on Charleston Southern, Rider and host Loyola (Md.) in the Loyola Tournament (Sept. 7-8), before concluding its 2012 tournament slate on the road in South Orange, N.J. against host Seton Hall and Stony Brook at the Seton Hall Tournament (Sept. 15).
Morgan State will open up its home schedule on Sept. 23, when they host crosstown rival Coppin State in the MEAC opener for both teams.
After a non-conference match at the University of Delaware (Sept. 25), the Lady Bears return to Hill Field House for three straight matches, including a non-conference contest against American to round out the homestand.
Morgan State's homecoming match will take place on Oct. 14 when it plays host to Howard, before taking to the road for four straight conference matches.
The squad will conclude their home slate with a match-up against defending MEAC Tournament champion Maryland Eastern Shore on Nov. 2
nd, followed by Senior Day against Delaware State (Nov. 4).
The Lady Bears will conclude the regular season on Friday, Nov. 9th when they travel to the nation's capital to face Howard. The MEAC championship will take place Nov. 15-17 at a site yet to be determined.
“We can't go into conference play with the same type of record we had last year because it's going to take us too long to figure out and learn how to win,” said Riley-Bozier. “So I think our schedule puts us in a good position to where we can be ready for conference play.”
Last season Morgan State finished 10-19 overall and had an 8-4 mark in the MEAC North Division, good for second place. The 10 wins were the most in four seasons, since the 2007 team won 11 matches, which was also the last time the Lady Bears finished as high as second in the division. The eight league victories were the most since 2006 when that team went 9-1 in conference play.
The 2011 team also went 5-2 in front of the Hill Field House crowd, including five straight wins. The five wins were a significant accomplishment for the Lady Bears who have struggled playing at home for the last four seasons. The five wins were the most since 2007 when that team won six home contests.
“Last season was the first time since 2006 that we began playing comfortable at home and I was really excited to see that,” said Riley-Bozier. “For the past few years we've been a team that would go on the road and play tough and hard against both conference and non-conference opponents and then when we played at home it was like two different teams. So hopefully the success we had last year playing at Hill Field House we can carry over into this season and continue to defend our home court.”
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