Nov. 10, 2006

HUNTINGTON - The Marshall Thundering Herd volleyball team will be honoring senior setter Christin Bimberg for Senior Night at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday for the Herd's final home match of 2006.

Marshall (19-10, 11-4 C-USA) will be hosting East Carolina (19-10, 10-5 C-USA) at the Cam Henderson Center for the regular season Conference USA finale.

The Herd and Pirates last faced each other on Sept. 14, in Greenville, N.C., with Marshall taking its first C-USA victory of the season 3-1. Currently the two teams are ranked second and third in the conference standings with the Herd holding a one match advantage. Coming down the final stretch of the season both Marshall and East Carolina have won nine of their last 11 matches.

Marshall's Kelly-Anne Billingy continues to lead the NCAA in kills per game with 6.41 and is currently second in total kills with 577.

Also for the Herd, Bimberg is coming off of a four-match double-double streak. In those four matches she is averaging 13 digs per game and 2.75 digs per game.

The two teams are not only similar in the win-loss category but also in hitting percentage and blocks. East Carolina is second in the league with a .258 hitting percentage with Marshall in at a close third with .253. The Pirates also have the edge in blocks, leading C-USA with 2.55 blocks per game with Marshall following in second with 2.37.

Marshall is 4-0 all-time against the Pirates and will look to improve its 7-1 record at the Cam Henderson Center this season.