Box Score Oct. 31, 2014 Final Stats
BALTIMORE, Md. - The Hill Field House on the campus of Morgan State played host to a crucial match between two opponents looking to clinch a spot in the MEAC tournament. Although the Hawks gained the edge by winning the first set, the Bears would storm back to win the next three sets to win the match. Morgan State improved to 12-11 and 5-5 in the MEAC while the Hawks fell to 10-15 and 3-6 in conference.
After a relatively close start, it was the Hawks who pulled away in set one. With the score all even at eight, UMES used two kills and an ace plus a slew of Morgan errors to go on a 11-3 run to take an eight point lead. A second ace from Ksenia Sukhareva (Moscow, Russia) gave UMES its 25th point and the set, 25-18. Additionally for Sukhareva she led the Hawks in kills with four during the first set, accounting for half of the team's successful attacks.
Though the Hawks would maintain an early advantage, the Bears stormed back to lead the set at the midway point. A kill by junior Ashley Smith (Huntley, Ill.) would knot the set again at 13 before Morgan rattled off three straight points to force a Hawks timeout. The Bears kept hold of that three point edge as both teams would trade off rallies until the set's final moments. With Morgan using two kills to force a set point, the Hawks battled back with two kills of their own in three points to reduce the deficit to 24-22, causing the Bears to call time. A lift drew the Hawks one point closer, but a UMES block landed out of bounds on the next point to give a 25-23 decision to the Bears, and tying the match at one set apiece.
With the match all even, the third set started out with the two teams matching each other point for point early. Morgan would build a small lead before an ace from freshman Alana Polk (Houston, Tex.) knotted the score at 11. When the Bears regained the lead on the very next point, however, UMES was unable to overcome the deficit before Morgan claimed set three by a 25-22 score.
Facing a do-or-die set four, the Hawks relinquished the early lead to the Bears with two aces and an error. UMES would rally quickly to keep it close but Morgan did not give up the lead thru the midway point of the set. A kill by sophomore Haley Robinson (Honolulu, Hawaii) forced a tie at 14 and once again the teams would trade off to stay within a couple of points. With the matched tied up once again at 19, a Polk kill gave the Hawks its first lead in the fourth set. However Morgan would rattle off three in a row to regain the lead and force a UMES timeout. When the refs called a net violation on the Hawks to give the Bears a set point, a red card was issued to the Hawks bench, awarding the 25th point to Morgan and a 3-1 match win.
Sukhareva paced the Hawks in kills with 12, while freshman Kirstin Fink (Tucson, Ariz.) registered a double-double with 10 kills and 14 assists. Three Hawks ended in double figures for digs, led by sophomore Precious Manu (Carson, Calif.) with 14 and followed by Smith with 13 and sophomore Sonia Rosales (Victorville, Calif.) who had 10. Sukhareva also led in aces with a pair, and Polk took part in four of the team's seven blocks.
Coppin State will be the Hawks' next opponents with a 3:00p.m. Sunday matinee in Baltimore.
