SU drops two spots to No. 22 in latest AVCA poll
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Salisbury University volleyball team fell two spots to No. 22 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Coaches Top 25 Poll released Tuesday.
Salisbury (35-1) earned 117 points as the Sea Gulls successfully defended their Capital Athletic Conference championship. SU recorded two wins last week and defeated St. Mary's (Md.) College, 3-1, last Saturday in the conference title game. No. 21 Christopher Newport University moved in front of the Sea Gulls after spending the past few weeks behind SU. The Sea Gulls defeated CNU, 3-2, on October 3 on the road. This is the sixth straight week the maroon and gold has been ranked in the AVCA poll. When Salisbury made its debut in the AVCA poll (October 7, 2008) it marked the first-time in program history the Sea Gulls had ever been nationally ranked.
The Sea Gulls have won a nation best 35 consecutive matches and have not lost since August 29 to No. 1 Juniata College. SU is one of only two teams in the top 25 to have only one loss. There are no undefeated teams in the top 25. Juniata (31-4) returned to the No. 1 spot after Emory University (30-5) occupied the top spot. The Eagles received 11 first-place votes while Emory had five first-place votes. Juniata edged out Emory by seven points for the top spot, 577-570. Washington-St. Louis is No. 3 (six first-place votes) and No. 4 La Verne (two first-place votes) and No. 5 Wittenberg round out the top five.
SU will next be in action on Thursday, November 13, in the 2008 NCAA Division III volleyball tournament first round. The Sea Gulls face Richard Stockton at 1 p.m. in Huntingdon, Pa., in the Juniata regional.
AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Poll
