BALTIMORE, Maryland – There was some steady resolve for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore volleyball program against Coppin State on Friday (November 4) night in Baltimore, it just wouldn't be enough, as the Hawks (7-16, 5-7 MEAC) fell to the Eagles 0-3 (19-25, 19-25, 11-25).
 
"I think we played well when we were mentally tough in the first two sets," head coach Trevor Callarman said. "It was just that tough third set that we lost our focus on the court in the areas that we had working."
 
It was tight in the first set, with the Hawks and Eagles locked up at twelve-all until Coppin went on four-point run to grab a lead they wouldn't give up. The Hawks looked as they were going to pull off the comeback at set point, grabbing three points on a run but it wasn't to be, as Eagle's middle hitter Ahzhi Coleman would get the final kill of the set.
 
The Hawk offense looked to hold onto some of that momentum in the second, as Derionah Abner notched two of her five second set kills back-to-back to tie things up at five-all, then a Romina Vacca ace gave the University of Maryland Eastern Shore a 7-6 lead. Coppin was able to get two key three-point runs that separated the squads and led to the Hawks falling to another Coleman kill for the 25^th point.
 
Nothing the Hawks could do in the third set was working, taking the lead on the initial point but then there was a dominant performance by the Eagles. The Hawk offense was held in check, with just five kills, and the defense was not able to hit their spots, being aced five times.
 
Abner led the Hawks with nine kills at a .350 hitting percentage, Nkemjika Ikemefuna was right behind with eight kills herself, and Sydney Morris had six kills off the bench. Sophia Chacon had a team high 18 assists, Romina Vacca added nine, in addition to five digs. Defensively, Isil Yilmaz had 11 digs and Ikemefuna had a season high 10 digs.
 
Sunday's (November 6) match with Morgan State has been postponed until a later time, updates will be available on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore athletics website and the @ESHawksVBall Twitter. The Hawks will next play at Delaware State on Friday (November 11) to conclude the regular season before the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.