Sept. 3, 2010
Box Score
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Junior Zoe Bowens (Long Beach, Calif.) had a match-high-tying 12 kills but it wasn't enough as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's volleyball team fell to Rider, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-19), in the opening match of the Fiesta Bowl Volleyball Tournament in Northern Arizona's Rolle Activity Center Friday.
Rider (1-1) outhit UMES (1-4) .263-.136, committing five less errors than UMES.
"Our ball control got us out our system from the first whistle to the last," said UMES head coach Don Metil. "Regardless of the altitude, we just didn't make the necessary adjustments to play good volleyball."
Rider was led by Katelyn Thompson with 12 kills in 27 attacks.
UMES struggled from the outset, trailing, 12-7, at the first timeout of the first game. The Hawks, though, rallied scoring seven of the next nine points to pull even at 14-14 before the Broncs called a timeout of their own. The run included a pair of kills from redshiurt senior Samantha Chukwura (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and four Rider errors.
The Hawks took the lead with a Bowens ace for a 15-14 advantage but Rider regained control with a 7-4 stretch to take a two-point bulge into the Hawks' second timeout of the game.
Out of the timeout, the Broncs, took a 1-0 lead in the match, nailing the game down with the help of consecutive aces by Megan Knott.
Down, 12-9, in the second game, a pair of a pair of Rider errors and a block by Bowens knotted the game at 12, but a service error from freshman Kaveingna Lea'Aetoa (Salt lake City, Utah) gave the Broncs a three-point lead.
Another Bowens ace pulled the Hawks even again at 18-all but Rider tallied seven of the final nine points to go up, 2-0.
The Hawks led just once in the third game at 13-12 on a kill by Bowens from sophomore setter Stephanie Sierra (El Paso, Texas).
Sierra and junior Desirae Ceniceros (Las Cruces, N.M.) collected all of UMES' 27 assists with Sierra picking up 14. Junior Rebecca Prado (Annandale, N.J.) had match-high nine digs.
UMES closes the tournament on Sunday, playing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at noon and NAU at 10 p.m., Eastern Time, respectively. The match against the host Lumberjacks will be televised live on Universityhouse Channel (Dish Network 9411).
