NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--Conference play beckons for both teams as the Smith College volleyball team (6-1, 0-0 NEWMAC) opens competition in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) on Tuesday night vs. Clark University (5-4, 0-0 NEWMAC).
Last Meeting: Smith earned a 3-1 (25-17, 25-14, 21-25, 25-23) road win over the Cougars in the league opener on September 18, 2012. The Pioneers ended a three game losing skid with the win.
The Series: Smith leads, 23-5. The Pioneers won the first nine in this matchup, beginning in 1978, though last year's win ended a two match losing skid to the Cougars.
Fast Facts: Clark went 1-3 at the Trinity Invitational this past weekend, falling to Western Connecticut, Trinity (CT), and Wesleyan before beating Worcester State...Clark had won four of five to begin the season...sophomore Shannon Glass-Smythe is averaging 3.04 kills per set...Clark is 1-4 in league openers over the last five years...Smith split with Western New England and Lasell in a quad match last weekend, falling to the Golden Bears but beating the Lasers...this is the first of five straight conference games for the Pioneers...
Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) has hit at least 10 kills in six of the seven matches this year...she also has at least one service ace in every match.
Next Up: Smith continues NEWMAC play with a visit from Babson College on September 21 at 1 p.m. Clark will host a tri-match with the Coast Guard Academy and Keene State College at 11 am on September 21.
