LORETTO, Pennsylvania — In the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's first road NEC matchup, the Hawks dropped a 3-0 match to Saint Francis. 

The Score 

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (12-6, 2-1 NEC) - 0 

Saint Francis Red Flash (8-8, 2-1) - 3 

(22-25, 16-25, 19-25) 

How It Happened 

The Hawks took the first point of the match, but traded the next couple of points with the Red Flash before taking two in a row, kicked off from a kill from Chase Valentine. However, Saint Francis took three straight points to take a 5-4 lead against UMES before Joshua Hightower leveled the score with a kill. The Red Flash took the lead, again, on a three-point run before each side traded points until back-to-back kills from Valentine and Andre Mills brought the Hawks within one point, 11-10. UMES tied the score a few sequences later with two kills from Mills. The remainder of the first set was a series of short runs for each side until the Hawks pulled within one point, again, at 23-22 on a triple block from Mills, Rowley and Marcellus Owens. However, Saint Francis finished the set on two straight points to edge past UMES 25-22. 

Momentum in Set 2 quickly went to Saint Francis as the Red Flash scored three points to open the frame. A pair of errors from Saint Francis put UMES back in contention, 3-2, before each side traded points until the Hawks trailed 9-6. At that point, Saint Francis went on a five-point run to extend its lead. The Hawks had a pair of runs in the middle of the set with a three-point run kicked off with a kill from Edward Piloton Jr and capped by a Jaxon Clark kill, and a two-point run highlighted by a kill from John Howard. Saint Francis, though, held off the Hawks' challenge as UMES lost Set 2, 25-16. 

Valentine started the third set with a kill for the Hawks while kills from Rowley, Clark and Curtis Tom helped keep UMES at a 4-4 draw to open. An attack error from Saint Francis and a service ace from Romel McCloud gave UMES an early 6-5 lead. Though the Red Flash tied it on the ensuing sequence, McCloud retook the lead on a kill. Valentine and Rowley repeated the feat with kills of their own after subsequent points from Saint Francis to take UMES to an 8-7 lead. The Hawks continued to push their momentum midway through the set as Nikilas Blumenstock and McCloud notched back-to-back kills to give UMES a 13-10 lead. Saint Francis, though, grabbed control of the backend of the set, outscoring UMES 15-6 to finish the match, 25-19. 

The Numbers 

• The Hawks held a seven-kill advantage against Saint Francis with 38 to the Red Flash's 31. 

• UMES committed 16 errors to Saint Francis' 10. 

• Chase Valentine led the Hawks in kills with 10 while adding five assists and a pair of digs. 

• Curtis Tom and Kenyon Haynes split time at setter with Tom recording 14 assists while Haynes notched 13. 

• Joshua Hightower led UMES in digs with five, though Haynes, Tristan Rowley and Jarrett Key recorded another four. 

Up Next 

The Hawks remain in Loretto, Pennsylvania, for another match with Saint Francis at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. 

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).