PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland - Although the Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team won in straight sets (25-21, 25-17, 25-22) over Rider Saturday night, the match was anything but easy. The Hawks fought thru several challenges by the Broncs to earn their second straight victory.

"This was a great team win against a well-coached quality opponent." Hawks Coach Toby Rens said. "We set the tone from the very first serve and kept the pressure on them from start to finish."

To describe the match as a pressure cooker is not an understatement. The Hawks (6-2) proved that on the first two serves of the game as freshman Iva Vujosevic (Bar, Montenegro) delivered a pair of aces to make an immediate statement. But the Broncs (2-5) battled right back, countering small Hawk rallies by surging back with rallies of their own. With the score tied at 21, Rider committed a service error and give the Hawks an opportunity. Two more Broncs errors and a kill by sophomore Marta Klafuric (Donja Lominca, Croatia) sealed the first set for The Shore.

Rider set the tone early in set two, but the Croatian sensations of Klafuric, freshman Ivana Blazevic (Zagreb, Croatia) and sophomore Lucia Babic (Sisak, Croatia) helped put the Hawks on top at the 10-9 mark. The teams would battle close until the Hawks received some key efforts from their bench. Sophomore Rachel Kayongo (Northridge, California) put forth two crucial kills and junior Kirstin Fink (Tucson, Arizona) filled in nicely at setter to give the Hawks a 25-17 victory and a 2-0 lead.

The Shore jumped out to the lead in set three and seemed poised to rout Rider. However, with their backs against the wall, the Broncs made a comeback to prove themselves a worthy foe. An 8-3 run cut the Hawks' eight point lead down to three. Maryland Eastern Shore held firm and surged ahead once more, using a Vujosevic ace to force match point. A trio of Rider kills kept the match alive for a time, but the deficit was too much to overcome, and the Hawks sealed the match with a three point win.

Babic led the Hawks in kills with 11, and Vujosevic supplied 10 while coming within two digs of a double-double. Blazevic led with 28 assists, and the Hawks earned two blocks from senior Mere Serea (Suva, Fiji) and junior Alana Polk (Houston, Texas). Maryland Eastern Shore converted one-third of their attacks as a team with eight aces and five blocks.

"I'm very pleased with the number of players that stepped it up and made a contribution tonight." Rens said.

The Broncs got 10 kills from Savannah Logan while Veronica Koval supplied 21 assists and nine digs.

Maryland Eastern Shore closes out The Shore's Courtyard Classic with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee with Norfolk State.