Sept. 24, 2009
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The 2009 Patriot League volleyball season begins this week and the opening weekend of play has Navy playing Friday at Lehigh and Saturday at Lafayette. The match against the Mountain Hawks is slated to start at 7 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa., with first serve for the contest between the Mids and the Leopards coming at 12 Noon in Bethlehem, Pa.
Navy enters the start of league play with a 3-10 record on the year. The Mids posted a 1-2 record at last week's Elon Volleyball Classic, with its win coming against Norfolk State and its losses being recorded to Elon in three sets and to eventual tournament-champion Georgia State in four sets.
"Every team in the league has a 0-0 record right now," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "We feel the challenges we faced in our matches to this point have made us ready to play the Patriot League season."
Navy defeated Lehigh in both of the matches played between the teams last season. Both contests were decided in four sets, with six of the sets being determined by five points or less.
Lehigh has compiled a 7-7 record during the non-conference portion of the season. The Mountain Hawks won only eight matches during the entire 2008 campaign.
"Lehigh is going to be a big challenge for us," said Schwob. "They were one of the youngest teams in the league a year ago and have pretty much everyone back this year. Playing in their gym on the opening night of the league season means we will have to be ready to go from the first point of the match. We can't fall behind and expect to climb back into sets or the match."
The Mids and the Leopards split their two matches a year ago with the home team winning each contest in four sets.
Lafayette enters a Friday night match against American having posted a 7-3 record this year.
"Every point was a battle when we played Lafayette last season and I expect that to be the case again this year," said Schwob. It is a tough turnaround to play Friday night and then again Saturday at 12 Noon, but both teams are on the same schedule. The team that is able to enter Saturday's match the more focused one is going to have a big advantage."
