PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — D'Youville fell to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in three straight sets, losing 0-3 at the Hytche Center on Thursday afternoon. The Saints (2-11, 0-1 NEC) struggled to find offensive consistency, hitting just .044 overall, while the Hawks (11-5, 1-0 NEC) secured the victory with a .413 attack percentage.

D'Youville opened the first set with a strong effort, maintaining a close contest against the Hawks. Cleveland Brown Jr. (Blacklick, OH / Licking Heights) and Jaden Webster (Rockford, Ill. / Guilford) each secured crucial kills, keeping the Saints within striking distance. A service ace by Dempsey Ptaszkiewicz (Cincinnati, OH / Bishop Fenwick) and consistent setups by Peyton Planz (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler Area) contributed to the visitors' momentum as they narrowed the gap to 21-20. However, UMES capitalized on key plays down the stretch to take the set 25-21.

The Saints faced a challenging second set as the Hawks quickly established control with an early 7-0 run. Despite efforts to regain momentum, including a kill by Ptaszkiewicz at 7-1, D'Youville found it difficult to close the gap. Ty Parker (Syracuse, nN.Y. / Jamesville-Dewitt) contributed with two kills, but consistent offensive errors hindered progress. UMES maintained its lead throughout, securing a 25-10 victory in the set.

D'Youville began the third set with early momentum, highlighted by Owen Solis (Indianapolis, Ind. / Hamilton Southeastern) delivering a kill from Planz to secure the first point, followed by Skyler Tutor's (St. Cloud, FL / St. Cloud) consistent performance, contributing multiple kills. Despite this strong start, the Hawks quickly matched the pace, and the teams exchanged points, with the Saints maintaining a close contest, tying the score several times. However, a series of service aces shifted the momentum, leading to a significant scoring run for UMES. The set ended with UMES finishing strong, securing a 25-13 victory. This concluded the match with UMES claiming the final set.

Planz facilitated the team's offense with 18 assists across three sets. Tutor contributed five kills on 14 attempts, registering a .214 hitting percentage. Brown Jr. displayed efficiency with a perfect hitting percentage, converting his sole attack attempt into a kill. Ptaszkiewicz added five kills and recorded one service ace, accumulating a total of 6.5 points.
 

Up Next
D'Youville gets set for a rematch against the Hawks on Friday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in Princess Anne, Maryland.