PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team swept the North Carolina Central University Eagles on Sunday afternoon (October 10). The scores by set were 25-18, 25-18 and 25-20.
Even though Eastern Shore (8-8, 3-2 MEAC) won via sweep, the duration of the match was over two hours. That was due to a 25 minute delay during the second set because of humidity on the floor due to HVAC problems.
"Today's match was all about staying focused," head coach Trevor Callarman said. "North Carolina Central is a good team, but we just did a better job today of staying focused and getting through that crazy unprecedented match."
In the first set, the teams split the opening 20 points and the score was tied at 10. The Hawks would get a kill from senior Marina Cruz on the next point and never surrender the lead again in the frame. Their advantage would get as high as seven at 23-16 thanks to a 6-0 run before Cruz and senior Mauri Carver combined for a block to end the set four points later.
The Shore opened the second set on a 4-0 run before the referees would delay the match. After the stoppage in play, the Eagles were able to eventually close the gap to two at 8-6. Maryland Eastern Shore responded to that by running off six straight points with sophomore Lyric Snowden on the service line.
Eastern Shore would maintain a lead for the rest of the frame as NCCU would not get closer than three. The set was eventually ended by a kill from Cruz.
In the final set of the match, sophomore Sophia Chacon stepped to the service line and led the squad to a 5-0 lead before the Eagles could force a side-out. The Hawks kept the pressure on and would hold a 13-6 lead after a N.C. Central error.
The Eagles did not go quietly as they eventually got within three at 17-14. Senior Alexis Lee would answer with back-to-back kills to push the lead back to five and the team would maintain that advantage as sophomore Maya Hendricks' kill would end the match 12 total points later.
Cruz finished with a game-high 12 kills and Lee followed her with 11 kills. Neither player committed an attack error in their 36 combined total attacks. Hendricks finished with a game-high 13 digs.
"Usually we are heavy on the right side and in the middle offensively but today were weren't scoring there so we needed the pins to step up and they (Cruz and Lee) were huge for us," Callarman said. "Maya also had a solid day on defense too, but Lexi and Marina were the rocks for us today."
Maryland Eastern Shore will now face the Coppin State University Eagles on Friday (October 15) in Baltimore. Both teams have won three conference matches and the winner will move into second place in the conference standings.
