SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Hampton University volleyball team couldn’t slow down Wofford, dropping their eighth straight match. The Lady Pirates lost to Radford and Wofford in the second day of the USC-Upstate Classic.

In the second day of competition, the Lady Pirates were ready to fight. The opening match against Radford went down to the deciding match, before the Highlanders were victorious 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 12-15).

Lady Pirates played better than they played all year. Each person on the team played a major role. The team started out slow, but Ese Ighedosa (Kansas City, Mo.) emerged with 15 kills and an average .276 attacks.

Hampton won the second set, where a spark came alive in freshman Mianna Armstong (Lomond, Alberta). She had 10 kills and 17 digs, and her attack average was .348. Armstrong did everything she could but walk the plank to help her team.

Aaryn Harrison (Cary, N.C.) had 16 kills and nine digs. Alyssa Jackson (Fort Wayne, Ind.), the libero, had 18 digs. Ebonie Vincent (Temecula, Calif.) also made some noise, with 12 kills and attack percentage of .290. Adriana Vazquez (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico) had 13 digs and eight kills. Lihi Elkayam (Misgay, Isreal) had 55 assists.

The Highlanders’ Laura Waddell had 11 kills and 11 digs in the win. Radford showed teamwork with 18 block assists to the Lady Pirates’ four.

Wofford won the last match 3-0 (16-25, 22-25, 24-26), taking the Lady Pirates’ record to 0-8 on the season.

After coach Pedro Gonzalez made a quick switch for Jackson, switch out libero postion and take the front row. She was able to keep the team in the game. She had six kills and 10 digs in the loss.

Wofford’s Shanna Hughes, who made the All-Tournament team at the Lady Pirates tournament, had 16 kills. She was also named tournament MVP.

Aaryn Harrison was named to the All- Tournament Team at the USC-Upstate Classic. In four matches she had 45 kills, six aces, 27 digs, and assisted in four blocks.

Ighdosa said “we always fight,” and that is what they did.

Come out and watch the Lady Pirates take on their cross-water rival Norfolk State University on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Holland hall gym.

For more information on Hampton University volleybally, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.

The original story was published here: http://www.hamptonpirates.com/News/vball/2008/9/8/HAMVB%20(9-08-09).asp?path=vball

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