BOWIE, Md. – The Goldey-Beacom College women's volleyball team, looking to improve on two consecutive nine-win seasons, will open its 2010 season tonight in a non-conference road match at 6 p.m. against Bowie State.

Head coach Rich Bowers, who enters his seventh career season and third consecutive season at GBC, has added three talented recruits in Stephanie Kline, Rebecca Stoffer and Tyla Wells.

The team also returns seven of the 12 players on the 2009 roster, including junior Roni Shaner (team-high 179 kills in 2009) and sophomore Monica Dempsey (161 kills, team-highs of 404 assists and 40 service aces).

Senior defensive specialist A.J. Hicks figures to play a vital role in the team's success as well. She has 679 digs in her career to date.

Bowie State, a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, returns three starters from last year's 5-27 team: JaTyra Heath (5-11, Sr., OH), Symone Jordan (5-9, So., RS) and Jasmine Nixon (5-7, So., OH) all figure to be key players for the Bulldogs in 2010.

The last time these two schools met was in a tri-match at the Joseph West Jones Center on Aug. 29, 2009. The Lightning defeated Bowie State, 3-0 led by Shaner's 11 kills and 12 digs and Dempsey's 26 assists.