Game 1
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Maryland Eastern Shore (3-8) defeated Ohio (2-8) in five sets at Halton Arena.
The Score
Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks - 3
Ohio Bobcats - 2
(25-23, 22-25, 15-25, 25-11, 15-13)
How It Happened
The Hawks and Bobcats opened the match with a tightly contested opening set with nine lead changes. UMES began with a 6-2 scoring run led by an ace from Karielys Melendez and kills from Rayah Howell, Nkemjika Ikemefuna and Jayda Hutchins. Ohio fought back to go ahead 20-18 before the Maroon and Grey tallied a 7-3 run, highlighted by a service ace from Valeria Matias and kills from Howell and Hutchins, to win the set, 25-23.
In a similar fashion to the first frame, Ohio and UMES played a close second set. With the Bobcats ahead 22-21, Ohio scored three of the final four points to edge out UMES, 25-22.
Although the Hawks scored the first four points of set three, the Bobcats responded with a 9-1 run to take the lead for good. Ohio later scored nine points in a row en route to a 25-15 victory in the third set.
In the fourth frame, the Hawks raced to a 10-3 lead, highlighted by kills from Malaysia Shaw, Hutchins, and Ikemefuna. The Bobcats decreased the deficit to four before the Maroon and Grey rattled off a 10-1 run to go ahead 22-9. UMES forced a fifth set with a 25-11 win in set four.
After splitting the first 10 points, the Hawks utilized two kills from Ikemefuna and a kill from Lilliana Montes to go on a 5-2 run. Even though Ohio battled back to tie the match 12-12, UMES scored three of the final four points, cementing a 15-13 victory in set five with one final kill from Ikemefuna.
The Numbers
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The Hawks improve to 13-4 in five-set matches under Vanessa Faircloth
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Matias tied her career-high, set a season-high, and paced the Hawks with 26 digs
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Hutchins led the Hawks with 34 assists. She also added six kills, three aces, and three digs. Hutchins has recorded 20 or more assists in five straight matches for the first time in her career
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Melendez posted her third double-double of the season with a season-high 15 digs and 11 kills. She also added three service aces
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Ikemefuna led the Hawks with 13 kills. She has posted 51 kills in her last three matches.
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Montes paced UMES with five blocks
Game 2
Maryland Eastern Shore (3-9) lost to Furman (8-3) in straight sets at Halton Arena.
The Score
Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks - 0
Furman Paladins - 3
(25-17, 25-17, 25-14)
How It Happened
Furman began the match by scoring 11 of the first 16 points. Outside of one 3-0 run, the Paladins consistently sided out against the Hawks to stay ahead, winning the opening set 25-17.
In the second frame, The Paladins sprung out to a 19-10 lead before the Hawks answered with a 6-1 run, highlighted by two kills from Nkemjika Ikemefuna. Furman ultimately scored five of the final six points for a 25-17 win in set two.
In the third set, a kill from Rayah Howell got UMES within one. Leading 10-9, the Paladins pulled away with a 9-1 run and closed the match on a 5-0 run to ice the victory in straight sets.
The Numbers
Up Next
Saturday, Sept. 20 | 2 p.m.
UMES (3-9) at Charlotte (7-3) | Live Stats | Watch (ESPN+)
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