Weekly Notes

NORFOLK, Va. – The Hampton University volleyball team will cross the James River this Friday and Saturday to compete in the Spartan Invitational hosted by rival Norfolk State at Echols Hall.

The Lady Pirates (7-9) will take on South Carolina State on Friday at 4 p.m., before they take on Texas Pan American at 10 a.m. and host Norfolk State on 7 p.m. on Saturday.

This will be Hampton's final in-season tournament before the start of conference play.

The Lady Pirates went 1-2 last weekend in the Colonial Challenge hosted by William & Mary, beating MEAC rival Howard in three sets before suffering straight-set losses to Elon and William & Mary. Sophomore Vendula Strakova (Brno, Czech Republic), for the second straight week, was named All-Tournament.

In three matches last weekend, Strakova averaged 5.67 kills per set. She totaled 51 kills and hit .287 in those three matches. Strakova has three double-doubles in seven matches so far this season.

So far this season, sophomore Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) is fourth in the MEAC in kills with 3.48 per set and sixth in digs with 3.08 per set. Kraskura is also sixth in the MEAC with 0.38 service aces per set and 10th in the conference in hitting percentage at .240.

She has eight double-doubles on the young season.

After roughly a month of non-conference competition, the Lady Pirates have the second-best winning percentage in the MEAC. Hampton has a .438 winning percentage — second to only defending conference champion Maryland Eastern Shore (.933, 14-1).

So far this season, the Lady Pirates boast non-conference wins over Elon (Southern Conference), Radford (Big South), Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt), Stetson (Atlantic Sun), and McNeese State (Southland).

Hampton also took Baylor, No. 49 in the RPI last season, to five sets.

Hampton is 14-22 all-time against South Carolina State, and the Lady Bulldogs have won four of the last five meetings — though the Lady Pirates beat South Carolina State, the 2010 MEAC champion, in four sets last season in the quarterfinals of the MEAC Tournament.

The Lady Pirates are 56-15 against Norfolk State, but the Spartans have won seven of the last eight meetings. The two teams split last season's meetings, with Hampton winning in four sets in Echols Hall, before Norfolk State won in five sets in Holland Hall.

Hampton has never faced Texas Pan American.

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