Setter Crystal Cole will help lead the Pirates into the 2009 Mazzio's Classic at C of O against Bethany, Lyon, Oklahoma Baptist and John Brown.

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PARKVILLE, Mo. – Park University has completed its 2009 women’s volleyball schedule with the announcement of the team’s four opponents at the 2009 Mazzio’s Classic on the campus of College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo.

The round-robin event will be played in early September on three courts inside C of O’s Keeter Gymnasium, and Park’s draw will mark one of the toughest four-match stretches of the season, with the Pirates’ four opponents going a combined 83-49 in 2008, all winning at least 19 matches during the year.

Park’s portion of the event gets underway at 1 p.m., on Sept. 4 against Bethany College, a familiar foe to the Pirates in C of O’s annual September event.

The Pirates and Swedes played a five-set match last season in the Mazzio’s Classic, with Park coming away on top, 3-2. Bethany went on to finish the season at 19-10 with a 15-3 mark in the KCAC, which was good for a second-place draw in the league standings with Friends, one match back of conference champion Bethel.

Park’s second match on Sept. 4 will get underway at 3 p.m., as the Pirates take on Lyon College, the fourth-place team from the 2008 TranSouth Athletic Conference standings at 8-6. Lyon was 19-12 overall last season.

The Pirates resume play Sept. 5 at 9 a.m., going up against Oklahoma Baptist University in the first match of the event’s final day.

OBU was the fifth-place team in the Sooner Athletic Conference last season at 6-8, but the Bison were lights-out away from the conference schedule, going 24-16 overall and 18-8 in non-conference matches.

The tournament will come to a close for Park at 1 p.m., and the opponent will be Park’s second-straight from the Sooner Athletic Conference when the Pirates play John Brown, who finished in a three-way tie for second in last season’s SAC standings.

JBU was 21-11 overall last season with a 10-4 mark in league play.

Following the Mazzio’s Classic, Park will return to the road for a Sept. 9 match at Graceland University. Park will open its home slate Sept. 17 in conference play, taking on American Midwest Conference rival McKendree at 7 p.m.