UMES ANNOUNCES 2010 WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE TYLER BIRNBAUM 06/04/10 Hawks host eight matches at Hytche Center; play six in-season tournaments PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's volleyball team will host eight home matches and the UMES Hawk Invitational in the 2010 season, head coach Don Metil announced Friday. Coming off their third consecutive 20-win season and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference northern division championship, the Hawks return five letterwinners and welcome a host of newcomers to a squad which lost in the conference championship match to Florida A&M. UMES will play six in-season tournaments and opens its 31-match regular-season slate Aug. 27 against Towson at 3 p.m., at the Tiny Laster Invitational, hosted by Hampton. The Hawks will also face South Carolina State, Wofford, the host Lady Pirates and Bryant on the weekend. The Hawks will then head to the Fiesta Bowl Classic, hosted Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Ariz., for Sept. 3-4 to play Rider, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and NAU. The 14-match road trip to start the season continues Sept. 9-11 at the Art Carmichael /URI Invitational in Kingston, R.I. UMES matches up with Rhode Island, Marist and New Hampshire in the three-day event. Other road tournaments include the Kristin Dickman Memorial at Navy on Sept. 17-18 and the NCCU Tournament in Durham, N.C., scheduled for Sept. 24-25 before the Hawks host NCCU, North Carolina A&T and Norfolk State at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center Oct. 1-2 as part of the Hawk Invitational. UMES begins defense of its MEAC north crown at the Hytche Center Oct. 8 against Morgan State at 7 p.m. Senior Night is scheduled for Oct. 31 versus Hampton at 3 p.m. and UMES will vie for the conference title Nov. 19-21 at Coppin State's Physical Education Complex. UMES closed 2009 with a 24-7 mark including 10-0 in the MEAC.