AMHERST, New York — In the first match for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in two weeks, the Hawks lost 0-3 to the defending NEC Champion Daemen Wildcats. 

The Score 

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (12-8, 2-3 NEC) - 0 

Daemen Wildcats (11-10, 4-3) - 3 

(25-27, 15-25, 23-25) 

How It Happened 

Though Daemen responded to the Hawks' match opening point in the first set, UMES ripped off six straight points courtesy a block from Andre Mills and Chase Valentine, and three service aces followed by a kill all from Tristan Rowley to take a 7-1 lead before the Wildcats could respond. UMES scored another pair of points with Valentine getting a kill before adding a service ace before Daemen found its footing. The Hawks battled on, adding a pair of points from kills courtesy of Mills and Kenyon Haynes, but the Wildcats methodically climbed back into contention while the Hawks maintained a close lead. It took until the 21st point where both sides were tied before trading the final points. Daemen moved to set point, 24-21, but the Hawks tied it at 24 on a Daemen service error and kills from Mills and Rowley. Daemen moved to 25, but committed a service error on the set point to tie the score, again, at 25 before closing the set with a 27-25 finish for the home team. 

Where the first set was a quick start for the Hawks, the momentum in the second quickly went to the Wildcats as they held a 7-1 lead to start before UMES began to earn some offensive success with kills from Rowley and Mills. Closing out the second set, the Hawks notched a pair of successive runs with two straight kills from Rowley and Mills before adding a three-point run with a kill from Joshua Hightower followed by a Mills service ace and kill from Haynes before Daemen earned a 25-15 win for the set. 

The third set went back-and-forth early on as UMES scored three points to respond to a 2-0 start for the Wildcats as the Hawks' got their first point on an attack error in advance of another kill for Hightower before he paired with Valentine on a block. Daemen, however, opened up its lead as the set moved on until the Hawks pressed the Wildcats' lead midway through as a block from Nikilas Blumenstock and Hightower cut the lead to two, 17-15. The Hawks remained within three points the remainder of the set, coming as close as one-point down twice at 20-19 and 24-23 before Daemen took the final set, 25-23. 

The Numbers 

• Andre Mills led the Hawks in kills with nine with a pair of service aces while also adding four digs, two assists and two block assists. 

• Tristan Rowley notched eight kills while leading the team with four service aces. Rowley also added four digs and a blocked shot to his total. 

• Kenyon Haynes led the team in assists from his setter position with 21 while also adding six digs and four kills through the match. 

• The UMES liberos notched eight digs with Jarrett Key collecting five and Edward Piloton Jr adding three. 

• The Hawks put up 86 total attacks to Daemen's 77, but were held to 8.1% for hitting compared to the Wildcats' 28.6%. 

Up Next 

The Hawks remain in Amherst to face Daemen in a rematch Saturday at 2 p.m. 

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).