Final Stats

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - After setbacks at American and Howard earlier this week, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) looked as though they would shake off the losses as they led the Coppin State Eagles two sets to one. However, the Eagles pulled off a comeback by edging the Hawks in set four, then taking the match in five sets. UMES falls to 8-10 (1-2 MEAC) while Coppin improves to 8-9 (2-2 MEAC).

Hawks head coach Toby Rens was honored before the match by several volleyball players from his first tenure at UMES from 2001-2004 as well as a video from other players unable to be in attendance at the Hytche Center. The Hawks attempted to ride the momentum early on as they edged the Eagles at the start of the set. A kill by senior Lauren Berry (Bloomington, Ill.) gave UMES an 8-6 lead, but Coppin rattled off five straight before the Hawks called timeout. Back-to-back kills after the stoppage by freshmen Alana Polk (Houston, Tex.) and Kirstin Fink (Tucson, Ariz.) pulled the home team to within one, but that would be as close as they would get. Coppin would win the set, 25-17, capped off by a 14-7 run.

With a service error by the visitors, senior Ksenia Sukhareva (Moscow, Russia) took her spot in the service position for the Hawks. After a Fink and Polk block and two kills by junior Ashley Smith (Huntley, Ill.), Sukhareva astonishingly delivered four straight aces to give UMES an 8-2 lead. The Eagles would draw closer by reducing the deficit to four, but the Hawks would use two smaller rallies to overwhelm their opponents. In the end, the 25-17 result went the way of UMES to knot the match at one set each.

Evenly played through the first ten points, UMES capitalized on a Smith kill and used two more kills by sophomore Haley Robinson (Honolulu, Hawaii) plus a Smith ace to snatch a 9-5 lead in set three. Three Coppin attack errors drove the Hawks lead even further to 12-6, and they would trade points to build the lead to 19-13. Following a timeout by the Eagles, the visitors used a kill and two Hawk errors to push the deficit down to three. However, a Smith kill and three errors by Coppin, including two on serves, gave the Hawks the match advantage with a 25-21 set final.

Coppin started with the early led in the fourth set, which would prove to be the crucial set in this match. A 6-3 Eagle advantage would not deter the Hawks, who used two kills by Fink and kills by Robinson, Berry, and Sukhareva to tie the set at 11. An ace supplied by sophomore Sonia Rosales (Victorville, Calif.) gave the Hawks a 14-13 edge in the attempt to finish off the Eagles. But a Coppin kill and ace, along with aide via a Hawk error allowed them to retake the lead. Facing a three point deficit in the waning moments of the set UMES once again gave the ball to Rosales. Two points on a block and a kill brought the Hawks to within one, but the Eagles used one more kill and one more ace to win 25-22 and even the match at two sets.

Set five went the way of the Eagles after the first five plays. UMES relinquished the lead at 2-1 and Coppin never looked back as the Hawks only managed to tie the set once the rest of the way. A 7-2 run gave the Eagles the deciding set and the match by a 15-8 fifth set final.

Smith led the Hawks in kills with 13, followed by Fink with 12. Fink led the team in assists with 24, with sophomore Precious Manu (Carson, Calif.) right behind with 23. Three Hawks reached double figures starting with Smith who had 13, followed by Manu's 11 and 10 from sophomore Allison Woods (Magnolia, Tex.). With her four straight aces in set two, Sukhareva ending up leading the Hawks with a total of five.

UMES will be home again on Friday when they host another in-state rival, the Morgan State Bears, for the Hawks' Dig Pink night. Match time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the Hytche Center.