Shippensburg University Women's Volleyball

East Stroudsburg, Lock Haven Chosen to Win PSAC East and West

Aug. 22, 2007

Courtesy of Lauren Packer, PSAC Director of Media Relations

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The PSAC volleyball coaches have selected East Stroudsburg as the preseason favorite in the Eastern Division and Lock Haven in the Western Division.

East Stroudsburg returns three starters from a squad that finished second in the PSAC East a year ago with an overall record of 21-14, 8-2 in divisional play. The Warriors will need to replace graduated seniors and All-PSAC East First Team honorees Nikki LeBlanc and Dawn Peipher. The Warriors are led by senior Liz Johnson and junior Caitlyn Kuhn. Johnson posted 1096 assists and 157 digs while Kuhn returns as the team's leader in kills (246) and blocks (108).

West Chester is the coaches' second pick in the Eastern Division. The Golden Rams lost outside hitter Nicole Vetock but are loaded with talent in the form of five returning starters led by All-PSAC East selections Kristen Decker (365 kills, 497 digs, 42, blocks) and Lisa Yeasted (141 kills, 301 digs, 58 blocks). West Chester will look for its third consecutive PSAC playoff berth.

Kutztown, picked to finish third by the coaches', finds itself without three-time Eastern Division Athlete of the Year in Sarah Brandon for the first time in four years. The Golden Bears will look to three All-PSAC East honorees to fill the void left by Brandon, Kutztown's single-season (546) and career kills leader (1,840).

Libero Nicole Biuso finished with 486 digs and 52 aces. She ranks third on Kutztown's career list with 128 aces, 27 shy of establishing a new best. Setter Austin Kinney paced the team with 1058 assists while adding 355 digs. Middle blocker Erin Waters added 210 kills, 51 digs and 142 blocks.

Lock Haven, the defending PSAC champion, gets the nod as the coaches' favorite in the West. Like Kutztown, the Lady Eagles also lost the Western Division's three-time Athlete of the Year in Li YiZhi. Lock Haven has claimed the last four Mid-Atlantic Region titles and three of the last four PSAC titles.

Inga Kurgonaite headlines two other Lady Eagles that were All-PSAC selections last year. Kurgonaite finished second on the team last year behind YiZhi with 442 kills and 134 blocks. Outside hitter Stacie Borgia added 238 kills and 104 blocks while freshman setter Fabiana Gomez contributed 1193 assists and 242 digs.

The coaches' second pick in the West, California (Pa.) must replace All-PSAC West First Team selections Allison Liptak and Shanna Yourchik, who led Division II in blocks per game (1.76). The Vulcans will rely on an abundance of experienced youth and a solid incoming class of freshmen to compliment just two seniors on its roster.

Setter Renata Da Silva paced the team with 1,197 assists and 252 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Joanna Nist returns as the team's kills leader (337) while sophomore libero Marta Hodge returns as the team's leader in digs (438).

IUP is slotted as the third pick. The Crimson Hawks hope to make it eight straight appearances in the NCAA II tournament behind a youthful squad that features one senior, two juniors and the rest underclassmen. Outside hitter Laura Robinette highlights the youth, finishing last year's campaign with 250 kills, 201 digs and 51 blocks.

Shippensburg, Millersville and Cheyney round out the poll in the East.

Edinboro, Slippery Rock and Clarion are picked fourth, fifth and sixth in the West.

Shippensburg finished the 2007 season with a school-record 24 wins while sophomore Cindel Young (McConnellsburg/Broadfoarding Christian) was named PSAC Eastern Division Rookie of the Year. The Lady Raiders open their season on Friday at the Roberts Wesleyan Tournament in Rochester, New York

* 2006 PSAC champion

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