September 3, 2007 - After winning seven of its first nine matches of the season, the Hillsdale College volleyball team moved up three spots in the latest AVCA/CSTV Division II Top 25 poll, released Monday night.

The Chargers are now tied for the No. 7 spot in the latest national poll, moving up from its preseason ranking of 10. Hillsdale is tied with Central Missouri for the seventh spot in the poll, each school receiving 588 poll points.

Hillsdale is also the highest-ranked GLIAC team in the poll, leapfrogging Ashland, previously No. 8, now ranked 10th. Grand Valley State University was ranked 11th in the preseason poll, and slid to 13th in the latest poll. Northwood and Findlay each fell in the "others receiving votes" category.

The Chargers (7-2) went 3-1 in each of their first two early-season tournaments, with the only losses coming to No. 5 Florida Southern and No. 6 Truman. Hillsdale swept defending national runner-up North Alabama, 3-0, on Saturday. UNA dropped from No.9 to 22 in the latest poll.

The Chargers were nationally ranked most of 2006, peaking at No. 3 after their 28-0 start to the season. Hillsdale finished 12th in the final poll, after losing to Ashland in the regional semifinals.

Hillsdale will play in the third of its three early-season tournaments this weekend at Ashland, Ohio. The Chargers open play at 2 p.m. Friday against another ranked foe, No. 24 Northern Kentucky. The team begins GLIAC play on Friday, Sept. 14 at home vs. Northwood.

To view the entire Top 25 poll, click on the link below.

AVCA/CSTV Top 25 Division II Volleyball Poll