University of Bridgeport Set To Host 2012 East Coast Conference Volleyball Championship Tournament

Bridgeport, Conn.-By virtue of the squad's first place finish in the East Coast Conference regular season standings, the University of Bridgeport volleyball team will be hosting this weekend's 2012 East Coast Conference Championship Tournament in UB's Hubbell Gymnasium. Action will take place on Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17.

Bridgeport comes into the ECC Championship red-hot, as UB has won eleven consecutive matches.  The top-seeded Purple Knights, who are 23-4 overall and 15-1 in conference play this season, will take on the number four-seeded Dowling College Golden Lions (21-13 overall, 8-8 ECC) in the opening match of the tournament at 5:00 p.m. on Friday evening. In 2009, the Purple Knights won the school's only East Coast Conference Championship Tournament title, and Dowling has won the ECC crown the past two seasons.  Bridgeport won both matches with Dowling this season, winning 3-1 on Long Island and posting a 3-0 victory at home.

In Friday's other semifinal match, the number two seed New York Institute of Technology Bears (21-8 overall, 12-4 ECC) will face the number three seed LIU Post Pioneers (22-13, 11-5 ECC).at 7:30 p.m.  The Bears and the Pioneers split their two regular season matches with each team picking up a 3-0 home win.  Bridgeport swept NYIT winning 3-1 on the road and coming back from a 2-0 deficit to record a 3-2 home win on November 8.  LIU Post handed the Purple Knights their only conference loss of the season winning 3-2 in Connecticut on October 9.  UB returned the favor to the Pioneers with a 3-1 win at LIU Post on November 14.

Friday's winners will meet for the 2012 East Coast Conference Women's Volleyball Championship at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and the winner of that match will receive an automatic bid to the 2012 NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament that will begin on Thursday, November 29.

The University of Bridgeport volleyball team is looking for its fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament.

Complete 2012 East Coast Conference Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament Schedule-All Matches Hosted By The University of Bridgeport

Friday, November 16

5:00 pm     No. 1 Bridgeport vs. No. 4 Dowling

7:30 pm     No. 2 NYIT vs. No. 3 LIU Post

Saturday, November 17

5:00 pm    Friday's winners meet in Finals