Franklin & Marshall Moves to #8 in October 27 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Volleyball Rankings

by Sports Information
10/28/04

LANCASTER, PA –The Franklin & Marshall College volleyball team moved to #8 in the October 27 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region Volleyball Rankings.

The ranking marks F&M’s first appearance in a regional or national poll since the team received votes for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top 25 poll on October 2, 2002.

Franklin & Marshall, which clinched the #2 seed for the Centennial Conference playoffs on November 6-7 at Gettysburg College courtesy a 3-1 win over Muhlenberg on October 26, has been led by the play of middle blocker Liz Earll (Sr., New Freedom, PA/Susquehannock) who ranks among the all-time leaders in kills (eighth, 973), service aces (fifth, 209) and blocks (third, 260) in Franklin & Marshall College program history. Further, she stands 10th in Centennial Conference history for aces.

In the latest Centennial Conference statistics through October 25, Earll leads the Conference leaders in hitting percentage (.304) as the Diplomats rank fourth in hitting percentage (.189), sixth in kills (12.11), fifth in assists (10.92), seventh in blocks (1.54), fifth in service aces (2.19) and second in digs (20.38).

In addition, the Diplomats have relied on setter Jackie Skibbie (Jr., Darby, PA/Merion Mercy) and libero Meghan Godorov (Jr., Orefield, PA/Parkland) during the season as Skibbie ranks third in the conference in assists (9.80) as she has tallied 1,000 assists in 102 games, while Godorov ranks second in digs (5.84) as she has registered 549 digs in 94 games.

Among first year players, middle hitter Susan Taylor (Fr., The Woodlands, TX/John Cooper) has been a force as she ranks third in hitting percentage (.268) and seventh in blocks (.76) as she has connected for 257 kills on 695 chances and blocked 77 shots (37 solo, 40 assisted) in 101 games.

As a team, the Diplomats rank fourth in hitting percentage (.189), sixth in kills (12.11), fifth in assists (10.92), seventh in blocks (1.54), fifth in service aces (2.19) and second in digs (20.38) in the Centennial Conference.

Franklin & Marshall (19-9, 8-1 Centennial Conference) will conclude the regular season on October 30 at Washington College. Match time is set for 7:00 p.m.

October 27 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Rankings
(Overall Record/Regional Record)
1. Juniata (25-3/17-0)
2. Gettysburg (22-4/17-1)
3. Eastern (24-6/18-3)
4. Lebanon Valley (21-5/16-2)
5. Frostburg State (25-5/15-3)
6. Elizabethtown (21-6/17-4)
7. Rowan (23-3/17-2)
8. Franklin & Marshall (19-9/16-5)