PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — With second place in the MEAC standings on the line, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball team played a four-set suspense filled match with the Howard University Bison. The Hawks were not able to come out on top as the Bison won three sets to one.
"Today was an amazing effort," head coach Trevor Callarman said. "As we go forward, we have to minimize our errors and make a few tiny tweaks to make sure we put together a winning effort."
In the opening set, both teams were trading blows until the frame was tied at 18. HU would get a service error and that was followed up by senior captain Mauri Carver and freshman Ranyla Griggs combining for a block to put the team up 20-18. The Bison would come back and run off six straight points to get to set point. Howard would then commit another service error and that would put sophomore Jalynn Robinson on the service line.
Carver got two solo blocks in a row and forced a timeout by the visitors. She would come right back and get a kill to tie the set at 24. Senior Marina Cruz got a kill and after that sophomore Maya Hendricks got a kill to cap the Hawks 6-0 run and give them a 1-0 lead.
Howard would control the second set throughout as they never trailed in the frame. The Shore would mount a late rally as they ran off four straight points after they trailed 14-23. The Bison took a timeout at that point and would get two points after the break to tie the match at a set apiece.
The third set was another seesaw battle. Following a kill from Carver, Eastern Shore led 13-11. Howard would score six of the next seven points to take a 14-17 advantage.
Maryland Eastern Shore saw the Bison get to set point at 20-24 following a block. However, The Shore would not go away as a kill from Cruz and a block from Hendricks and Carver brought the squad within two. The Hawks would commit an error after that and HU went up 2-1.
The final set of the match turned into an instant classic. Eastern Shore started fast and were up 8-3 following an error by the Bison. They maintained their lead until the visitors tied the set at 11.
The Hawks responded to that with a 5-0 run that was punctuated with a kill by junior Derionah Abner. HU would rally again and tie the score at 18 and force Callarman to take a timeout.
Howard grabbed the lead and held on to it until they were at match point at 24-23. They would commit a service error, but followed that up with a kill to get to match point for a second time. Freshman Charlize Williams would get one of her career-high eight kills on the next point to keep the match going. The Hawks would commit a service error on the next point and face match point for a third time.
Hendricks would keep the match going this time with a kill and then Howard would get an error and bring the Hawks to set point at 27-26. As the home crowd was in a frenzy, the Bison would respond with a point before Williams would get another kill and put the team up 28-27.
Howard would get the next two points and get to match point number four. This time junior Sydney Morris would get a kill to keep the festivities going. HU scored the next point, but Cruz would get a kill to tie the frame at 30. The Bison would then get blocks on the next two points and win the set 32-30 and take the match 3-1.
Despite the loss, Carver finished the match with nine total blocks to move her into second place all-time on the school's career blocks list. Senior Stella Johnson finished the match with a game-high 19 digs.
Hendricks and Cruz shared the team lead in kills with nine apiece. Hendricks also had career highs in digs and blocks as well with 16 and four respectively.
Maryland Eastern Shore will now take their longest road trip of the season next weekend as they travel to South Carolina State on October 29 and North Carolina Central on Halloween.
"Against S.C. State, we want to continue to build and get better to form a championship team," Callarman said. "And with (N.C.) Central, it's going to be about going to battle with a high level team and making sure we do what we need to do to win in all facets of the game."
