PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The Hampton University volleyball team closed the regular season with its third straight win on Sunday, beating Maryland Eastern Shore 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-21) at the W.P. Hytche Athletic Center.

The Lady Pirates (16-10, 10-2 MEAC) will be the Northern Division's top seed in the MEAC Volleyball Championships, which will be held this coming Friday through Sunday at Coppin State.

"Today we played a complete and solid match," first-year head coach Karen Weatherington said. "I really pleased with our composure and approach these critical road matches. Everyone played well today and I am so proud of this group. I'm thrilled that we won the MEAC Northern Division championship this season.  This team is determined and disciplined, and this is an indication of their goals and hard work."

Junior rightside Vendula Strakova (Brno, Czech Republic) led the way with 17 kills, hitting .382 thanks to just four errors in 34 attacks. She also tied for the team lead with nine digs on defense, along with senior setter Bibiany Fonseca (Uberlandia, Brazil).

Strakova is 41 kills shy of 1,000 in her Hampton career.

Junior outside hitters Krista Kraskura (Kuldiga, Latvia) and Sonja Maksimovic (Belgrade, Serbia) each added nine kills for the Lady Pirates.

Fonseca had 34 of Hampton's 39 assists.

Hampton stormed out to a 9-1 lead to open the first set following a kill from Kraskura, and after UMES cut the lead to 9-3, the Lady Pirates scored the next four points to take a 13-4 lead. The Lady Hawks later closed the lead to 16-7, but Hampton scored five of the next six points to take a 21-8 lead after a kill from Maksimovic.

UMES later cut the lead to 22-11, but Hampton scored three of the last five points to take the first set 25-13 after a kill from junior middle blocker Marija Kocevska (SkopjeKarpos, Macedonia). Hampton hit .394 (18 kills, five errors in 33 attacks) in the first set.

UMES tried to take control early in the second set, taking a 4-2 lead, but the Lady Pirates scored the next five points to take a 7-4 lead. The Lady Hawks then cut the lead to 7-6, before Hampton burst out to a 12-4 run, taking a 19-10 lead after a kill from Strakova.

UMES could get no closer than within seven the rest of the way, and Hampton scored four of the last five points to take the second set 25-15 after another kill from Strakova.

Hampton led 9-8 in the third set after a Strakova kill, but UMES scored the next four points to take a 12-9 lead. The Lady Pirates fought back, forcing a 15-15 tie on an ace from Kocevska, before the Lady Hawks scored the next two points to take a 17-15 lead.

The Lady Pirates scored four of the next five points, though, taking a 19-18 lead on a kill from Strakova.

Again, UMES scored the next two points to go up 20-19, but the Lady Pirates closed the set with a 6-1 run, taking the set 25-21 on a kill from Fonseca and taking their third straight win in straight sets.

The Lady Pirates hit .287 (44 kills, 15 errors in 101 attacks) for the match, while holding UMES to just .049 (20 kills, 16 errors in 82). This marked the seventh time this season that Hampton held an opponent under .100 hitting.

Hampton held a 4-3 edge in aces and both teams had 3.0 total blocks.

Haley Robinson led UMES (3-21, 2-10 MEAC) with nine kills.

"I look forward to my first MEAC Championships," Weatherington said. "There's a new energy when you make it to postseason play.  We are playing our best volleyball of the season, and we have a great opportunity ahead."

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.