September 22, 1997
For Immediate Release
Contact: Judy Willson, SID
505.562.4309 or 356-4755

Friday, September 26
Eastern New Mexico at Tarleton State University 6:00 pm
Wisdom Gym, Stephenville, Texas

Saturday, September 27
Eastern New Mexico at Midwestern State University 1:00 pm
D.L. Ligon Coliseum, Wichita Falls, Texas

Zias (8-5, 1-3 LSC South) Struggling...after two South Division losses at home to rivals West Texas A&M (15-13, 5-15, 12-15, 7-15) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (15-11, 12-15, 15-1, 7-15, 10-15). Hitting errors were the Zias' downfall in each match. Against WTAMU, ENMU was led by juniors Charlene Hunt (Folsom, Calif.) and Tina Wehrli (Visalia, Calif.) with 16 and 12 kills, respectively. Setter Stacey Estlund (Clarkston, Wash.) had 28 assists to help the cause.

Against the Javalinas, the Zias had four players in double figure kills - Irma Cobos (15, So., Kermit, Texas), Hunt (12), Jamie Vaughan (11, So., Alamogordo), and Wehrli (10). Estlund had 45 assists in the five-game match.

Head Coach Mike Maguire on the Zias..."We need to play better as a team. We have to eliminate hitting errors and stay healthy. There are moments this season where we have looked good and not so good."

--- on next three weeks on the road --- "We really need to weather the storm of these next three weeks on the road. Once we get through that then we get a big homestand."

This Week...the Zias begin three weeks of road competition that will conclude on October 14 at West Texas A&M. But first the Zias have to get through Tarleton State and Midwestern State. The TexAnns are 9-4 overall and 3-0 in the LSC-South going into Friday night's match. They have three players - Sharon Lister, Marissa Galich, and Carie Key - averaging over 3 kills per game and hitting over .200. Setter Didi Ebert has 470 assists this season.

The Lady Indians of Midwestern State are 5-7 overall and 1-2 in the LSC-South going into their Friday night match with West Texas A&M. They will face the Zias on Saturday. MSU is led on offense by Mandy Pinkerton with 3.84 kills per game. Setter Shayna Buxton has 370 assists on the season.

Record watch...Stacey Estlund added 73 assists to her collection last week, bringing her grand total to 1,629. She remains in fourth place on the Zias' all-time career assist list. She needs 40 assists to move past Tina Mayo (1991-92, 1,668) into third and 49 to move into second ahead of Robin Whitfield (1989-90, 1,677). Sitting on top of the list is Barbara Lynn (1983-86) with 2,165. Estlund needs 537 to top Lynn.

The New LSC...the 1997 season begins expanded conference competition with 13 schools competing for the Lone Star Conference title. ENMU will compete in the South Division with Abilene Christian University, Angelo State University, Midwestern State University, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and West Texas A&M University. The Zias were picked third in the 1997 LSC-South Division Pre-season Volleyball Poll with 174 points behind West Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville. They will play each team in the South Division at home and on the road, with four matches thrown in against North Division opponents. ENMU will play Cameron University, University of Central Oklahoma, Texas A&M University-Commerce and Texas Woman's University. North Division schools Harding University and Ouachita Baptist University are not on the 1997 schedule. The top three teams from each division will advance to the LSC Post-season Tournament on November 11, 13 and 15.

Coming Up for the Zias...will be two more weeks of road trips. Next week the Zias will travel to Oklahoma to take on LSC-North opponents Central Oklahoma and Cameron on Oct. 3 and 4.

Admission...is free to all Zia regular season home volleyball matches.

Domino's Pizza Giveaway...occurs between the second and third games of every home Zia volleyball match. Fans are invited down to the court to try their luck at serving for pizzas.