Sept. 6, 2008
BALTIMORE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Women's Volleyball Team has stepped up to the challenge set by second year Head Coach Don Metil. The Lady Hawks will spend the first 17 games of the season on the road to help prepare them for conference play. Finishing 2-1 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Tournament, they now boast a .500 record.
After defeating host UMBC last night 3-2, UMES took on the undefeated Duquesne University Dukes but fell 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 17-25, 20-25). Standout freshman Christine Edwards continued to shine, posting a double-double with 14 kills and 15 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Samantha Chukwura stepped up in a big way for the Lady Hawks, tying Edwards in kills. But the most accurate on the attack for UMES was junior Thonya Joseph who amassed 12 kills on a .625 hitting percentage. Duquesne's Tricia Mullen had a game-high 17 kills, followed closely by fellow freshman Jessica Artman who finished with 16.
Duquesne went ahead 1-0 after an evenly played first set. However, UMES would respond in the second stanza. The Lady Hawks jumped out to an early lead but saw the Dukes come storming back to go ahead 18-15, but it was the maroon and grey who closed out the set on a 10-3 run capped off by a Chukwura kill to notch the match at one all.
In games three and four UMES took quick leads but watched them vanish as Duquesne proved to be too much for the Lady Hawks, capturing the sets 25-17 and 25-20, respectively.
The afternoon match saw UMES upend Niagara University 3-1. Edwards was incredibly consistent on the day garnering yet another double-double with 16 kills and 14 digs. Junior outside hitter Whitney Johnson equaled Edwards' kills total. The Purple Eagles were led by Lauren Costello and Holly Allgeier with 11 kills apiece.
UMES eager to get off to a good start did so in the first set with Chanita Wesley serving up a pair of aces to give them an early 4-0 lead. The Lady Hawks did not look back as they took the set 25-20.
It was the Purple Eagles turn to start fast in game two. UMES fell behind early and could not make up the ground despite rallying late to pull within three, 23-20, on a Caylin Woodward kill. Niagara held off the Lady Hawks to capture the set 25-20.
UMES having seen the first match of the day slip away in a pivotal set three wanted to set the tone this time around. It was the Purple Eagles though that took advantage early on, going up 10-7 on an Allgeir kill. The Lady Hawks would respond as they climbed back into the game and eventually took the lead for good following a Christina Estebane` kill to make it 15-14. Niagara would manage only three more points before falling 25-17 to the maroon and grey.
Game four was never in question for the Lady Hawks. They opened with a 6-1 margin and would cruise all the way to the end where Woodward sealed the match with a kill to give them a 25-15 victory.
Edwards and Johnson accounted for 95 of the kills during the tournament this past weekend. The two have combined for 177 on the season.
The Lady Hawks travel to Buffalo, N.Y. for the Ramada Invitational on September 12-13. UMES will face off against Buffalo, Maine and Butler.
