Penn College Women's Volleyball Team Seeks Championship Sunday

For the fourth straight season, Pennsylvania College of Technology's women's volleyball team is playoff-bound and has a legitimate shot at winning a conference championship.

The Lady Wildcats, under eighth-year coach Bambi Hawkins, completed their regular season with a 16-6 overall record and were 14- 2 in Penn State University Athletic Conference matches.

As the North Division champion, Penn College is seeded No. 2 for the PSUAC end-of-the-season playoffs starting at 10 a .m. Sunday at the intramural building at Penn State 's main campus, and earned a first-round bye in the double-elimination tournament, as did West Division champ and top-seeded Penn State Beaver.

Other teams competing for the title are Penn State Hazleton, Penn State New Kensington, Penn State Mont Alto and Penn State Delaware .

"We've got to take each team one at a time because all six teams that are in the playoffs are pretty strong. It will be some really good competition. Our girls are looking forward to a strong weekend," Hawkins said.

"We had a really bad day the only time we got to play ( Penn State ) Beaver. Our team was very flat, and I'm hoping and praying that we're not flat when we play them again," Hawkins said.

Physically, as far as athleticism, Hawkins said her team is ready. The key for her players will be the mental part of the game.

"They're physically ready. The mental part, we have a team that tends to be very quiet in practices. They usually come alive when they hit the court. "¦ They are going to have to concentrate on what they eat and getting a good night's sleep so that they've fed and rested their bodies appropriately," Hawkins said. "There are always those extras they can do to have their bodies primed. "¦ My girls just need to be in it mentally. "¦It's going to be interesting."

Starters Sunday will be Jaclyn Sampson (junior/Liberty) and Angela Sweely (sophomore/Mansfield) at outside hitter spots, Alyssa Covas (sophomore/Pottsville) and Karlee Shubert (freshman/Hanover) at middle hitter spots, Courtney Barton (freshman/Liberty) at right-side hitter, Michelle McNett (sophomore/Canton) at setter and Maria Bova (senior/Bethlehem) at Libero.

Penn College captured the Commonwealth Campus Athletic Conference championship in 2004 and finished second in the PSUAC in 2005 and again last year.