FLORENCE, S.C. – The Francis Marion University women’s volleyball team will open its 2005 season this weekend by playing host to the 10-team Joseph B. DuRant Memorial Invitational Tournament, Friday and Saturday in the Smith University Center.

    Matches will begin at noon on Friday and continue through 9 p.m.  Saturday’s play will start at 9 a.m. and continue through 7 p.m.

    On Friday, FMU will meet North Carolina Central University at 2 p.m. and California University of Pennsylvania at 6 p.m.  On Saturday, Francis Marion will play Barton College at 11 a.m. and Wingate University at 3 p.m.

    Other teams in the tournament are Coker College, the State University of West Georgia, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, USC Aiken, and Lenoir-Rhyne College.

    FMU returns all six starters from last year’s 21-14 squad.

    Daily admission to the tournament is $3 for adults and $2 for students.

2005 Joseph B. DuRant Memorial Invitational Volleyball Tournament

FRIDAY:          Court 1                                                            Court 2

12:00 pm          California (Pa.) vs Coker                       West Georgia vs Lenoir-Rhyne

  2:00 pm          FMU vs N.C. Central                              Wingate vs Barton

  4:00 pm          N.C. Central vs Coker                                      

  6:00 pm          FMU vs California (Pa.)                         5:00 pm   St. Andrews vs West Georgia      

  8:00 pm          St. Andrews vs Wingate                       7:00 pm   Barton vs Lenoir-Rhyne           

SATURDAY:    Court 1                                                Court 2           

  9:00 am          St. Andrews vs California (Pa.)          Coker vs West Georgia      

11:00 am          FMU vs Barton                                     Wingate vs N.C. Central                 

  1:00 pm          California (Pa.) vs USC Aiken             Coker vs Lenoir-Rhyne

  3:00 pm          FMU vs Wingate                                  West Georgia vs Barton                  

  5:00 pm          USC Aiken vs Lenoir-Rhyne                 N.C. Central vs St. Andrews