Oct. 10, 2010
Box Score
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Powered by junior Zoe Bowens' (Long Beach, Calif.) first career double-double, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's volleyball team defeated Delaware State, 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-21), at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center Sunday.
Bowens led all players with 13 kills and 11 digs to help UMES (13-9, 2-0 MEAC) win its seventh straight and 12th in 14 matches. Delaware State fell to 8-10 and 1-1 in conference with the loss.
Freshman Maline Vaitai (Salt Lake City, Utah) chipped in with 11 kills and six digs and junior Rebecca Prado (Annandale, N.J.) also picked 11 digs for the Hawks.
"The girls played with a lot to prove today and I couldn't be more pleased with the effort and execution of the gameplan," said UMES head coach Don Metil. "We played with a lot of confidence and poise under pressure and were able to sideout at crucial times late in the match."
The opening game was tight, featuring nine tie scores and six lead changes. Neither team had more than a two-point lead until, with Bowens serving, UMES reeled off five-of-six points to take a 16-12 advantage. Bowens recorded three aces in the stretch which gave UMES control for good. Kills from three different players and an ace from sophomore Chang Liu (Beijing, China) then forced a DSU timeout at 20-12.
The Hawks took the game with a sophomore Stephanie Sierra (El Paso, Texas) kill from freshman Jingqiao Li (Beijing, China). UMES tallied a team-best .308 hitting percentage in the game on 13 kills and five errors in 26 attacks. Delaware State outhit UMES, .281 (33-8-89) to .273 (42-15-99).
UMES led from start to finish in the second game, opening a 14-8 bulge prior to a Hornets' timeout. The Hawks held a six-point lead, 22-16, late in the game before DSU pulled within three on kills by Sarah Wheatcroft by Brooke Redmon and an UMES error. That was as close as the visitors got as Bowens followed with consecutive kills and Vaitai finished the game off with a kill of her own for a six-point win.
The Hawks led, 12-6, in the final game and looked as UMES would cruise to the win but Delaware State rallied to get within 23-20 on a UMES blocking error, A service error and a Sierra kill, though, sealed the match for UMES.
Sierra finished with 32 assists, six kills and seven digs for UMES while redshirt junior Samantha Chukwura (Brooklyn, N.Y.) registered seven kills and three digs.
Erica Tajchman and Martina Ferrari led Delaware State with nine kills and 28 assists, respectively.
UMES remains home to face Hampton (Oct. 15) and Coppin State (Oct. 17) next weekend.
