NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--The Smith College volleyball team (5-5, 1-2 NEWMAC) resumes conference play when they make the long trip to New London, Conn., to take on the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (9-3, 2-1 NEWMAC). The Bears are the defending conference tournament champions, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2010.
Last Meeting: Tied after two sets, Coast Guard swept the final two sets (25-13 and 25-20) to improve to 12-4 and 3-1 in the league. Smith, who lost their ninth straight match, was led by 10 kills and 21 digs from
Laurel Belton (San Bernardino, Calif./Aquinas).
Last Smith Win: October 14, 2008 - in a topsy-turvy game, the Bears took the first set 25-20, before Smith tied the match with a 25-13 win in set two. Coast Guard took a 2-1 lead with a 27-25 win in the third set, but Smith won the fourth set 25-23 and the fifth 15-12 to take a 3-2 win.
Smith Overview: Smith is coming off a 1-3 weekend at the MIT Invitational. After losing to Endicott and Tufts in pool play, the Pioneers defeated Regis in the Bronze Bracket semifinal round before falling the final to league foe Wellesley.
Coast Guard Overview: Under the direction of new head coach Eric Snyder, Coast Guard has picked up where they left off of last year's 30-6 season. The Bears, who have won three of four and five of seven, and earlier this season, picked up one of their biggest wins to date - a five set win over No. 4 Christopher Newport (Va.) at the Haverford Tournament.
Smith Player to Watch: Courtney Faria (Pocasset, Mass./Bourne), the only senior on the team, is a big part of Smith's success. Playing as a setter, she has hit double-digit assists six times this season, and helps out at the net as well, with six block assists.
Coast Guard Player to Watch: Sophomore Kelsey DePorto is a big threat at the net, averaging 2.34 kills per set and hitting .308. DePorto has committed only 28 errors in 266 attacks, and ranks third in the league in hitting percentage.
Did you know? Eight of the NEWMAC teams are at .500 or better so far this season.
