HACKENSACK, New Jersey — On the road for the last regular season road trip of their season, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks dropped a closely contested match at FDU, 0-3.

The Score 

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (14-10, 4-5 NEC) - 0 

FDU Knights (13-9, 7-2) - 3 

(24-26, 22-25, 20-25) 

How It Happened 

Though the host Knights took an early 3-0 lead to start Friday's match, the Hawks responded in kind as they quickly caught up with Chase Valentine recording a kill and service ace while Marcellus Owens added a kill to tie the score at four apiece with the addition of an FDU service error. From that point, both sides trading points until the Hawks went on a 4-0 run to get some breathing room at 18-14 with Kenyon Haynes kickstarting the run with a kill. The Hawks pushed the set to 24-20 on kills from Valentine and Joshua Hightower, but were unable to close the set as FDU took the first 26-24. 

UMES jumped out to the early lead in Set 2 with a kill from Jaxon Clark followed by a Valentine block before FDU got on the board. Though the Knights closed the gap, the Hawks put up four straight points with kills from Clark and Owens, followed by a solo block by Hightower before Haynes and Owens combined for another block to take a 8-5 lead. A series of runs for FDU, however, put the Knights ahead until the Hawks added another 4-0 scoring run to tie the set at 17 apiece. Despite even exhanges to close the set, a pair of back-to-back point exchanges for FDU gave the Knights Set 2 at 25-22. 

Set 3 was an even exchange for the first few points for either side, and though FDU managed a three-point lead, the Hawks closed in 9-10. FDU took a seven-point lead midway through the set, 20-13, but UMES closed the gap on a 7-1 run to bring the Hawks within one point at 21-20. The Knights, though, took the last four points to close the set and match with a 25-20 set three. 

The Numbers 

• Jaxon Clark led the Hawks with 11 kills on the day while adding five digs, three blocks and an assist to his total. 

• Tristan Rowley and Chase Valentine tied for second on the team with seven kills each. Rowley added five digs and assist while Valentine adding four blocks and a pair of digs. 

• Setter Kenyon Haynes led the team in assists with 30 while adding a pair of kills and a service ace to his five digs. 

• The UMES liberos notched seven digs as Jarrett Key totaled five and Edward Piloton Jr added two. 

Up Next 

The Hawks remain in Hackensack for a second match against FDU at 1p.m. before returning home to close the regular season against Manhattan with a match on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18. 

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).