SAN JUAN, PUERTO RIO — One win in, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's volleyball team has already secured the program's first-ever victory. On Monday in a trip to Puerto Rico, the Hawks earned a five-set win against the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras. 

The Score 

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks - 3 

Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras - 2 

(25-22, 17-25, 25-18, 24-26, 15-7) 

How It Happened 

The Hawks opened their first match by scoring on their first opportunity with Marcellus Owens notching the kill with an assist from Kenyon Haynes. Each side traded points evenly through the first set with neither team getting more than a two-point advantage until Rio Piedras managed to grab a four-point lead, 13-9. However, the Hawks responded in kind, chipping at the lead until they took over the second half of the set. Down 17-14, UMES went on a five-point run to take a 19-17 lead before Rio Piedras was able to answer. Though, at that point, UMES capitalized on the momentum swing and took the first set 25-22 with Andre Mills racking up four kills, Tristan Rowley three, Owens two and Chase Valentine one. 

Early in the second set, Rio Piedras was able to take a 6-0 lead to open up before the Hawks pushed against the lead of their hosts with Valentine recording a kill and Joshua Hightower striking with a service ace to jump back 6-2. Rio Piedras, however, maintained its hold on the set with another run before each side traded points. Rio Piedras took the second set 25-17. 

The third set was mirrored success for the Hawks as they took it 25-18. Rowley got up for the opening kill before the Hawks took a 2-0 lead on an attack error by Rio Piedras. Neither side relented much from that point, though, as the set remained knotted up until UMES closed out the set on a 8-2 run kicked off by another kill from Mills. Haynes, Hightower, Mills each recorded a kill through the run while Rio Piedras committed four attack errors. 

The teams got some extra play in the fourth set as the Hawks pushed Rio Piedras until the end of the set when the host team took it 26-24. Through the set, Valentine led the offensive attack with four kills, though Mills and Hightower each added another three while Rowley gave the Hawks two more. 

In the fifth and final set the Hawks took the early lead and never relinquished it or allowed Rio Piedras to come close. Valentine notched the first kill as the Hawks took the first three points with an attack error from Rio Piedras and another kill from Valentine. Valentine added another kill to his total as the Hawks closed out the fifth set while Rowley and Mills each added another two. 

The Numbers 

• Mills led the Hawks with 20 kills while he also had two blocked shots and four block assists 

• Haynes led UMES with 47 assists in the match while he also notched a trio of block assists and a kill. 

• Jarrett Key paced the Hawks with nine digs while Edward Piloton Jr added another seven. Haynes and Hightower each accounted for another five each. 

Up Next 

The Hawks play against the Universidad Politechnica de Puerto Rico on Thursday, January, 8 at 5 p.m. EST. The game will not be broadcast, but live stats can be found at UMESHawkSports.com. 

Follow Along 

Keep up with the latest from UMES men's volleyball on UMESHawkSports.com and by following along on X (@UMESHawksMVB) and Instagram (@umeshawksmvb).