Video Highlights
BALTIMORE - With the match tied at a set apiece, visiting Coppin State rallied to win a tight third set and went on to defeat UMBC, 3-1, at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
The Eagles came from behind to win the first set, 27-25, but UMBC responded with a 25-21 second set victory. Coppin scored the final five points of the decisive set to win set three, 25-22 and finalized the win with a 25-19 fourth set advantage.
UMBC dropped to 5-10 on the season, while Coppin State evened their record at 5-5.
Retriever freshman Mia Bilusic (Zagreb, Croatia) continued her outstanding play, putting away a season-best 22 kills and hitting .258. She added 12 digs and five blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
· In the first set, UMBC increased a 14-13 lead to 21-16 on a kill by freshman Kira Givans (Sacramento, Calif.). Coppin State would rally to tie the score at 22-all, but a pair of errors gave UMBC two set points. The Eagles re-tied the set at 24-all, before a Bilusic put-away gave the hosts a third set point. However, CSU scored the final three points of the set to win, 27-25.
· It was UMBC's turn to rally in the second set. Coppin State led, 17-14 when the Retrievers went on a 7-1 run which featured a pair of Bilusic kills. Givens and sophomore middle Beste Ayhan (Istanbul, Turkey) finished the 25-21 with back-to-back kills.
· For the third consecutive set, UMBC hit the 20-point mark first. They led, 20-17, before CSU rattled off three straight points to tie the score. A block by Ayhan and a kill by junior Emily Ferketic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) provided the Retrievers with a 22-20 lead. After a Coppin State timeout, the Retrievers made four errors down the stretch as the Eagles won the final five points of the set.
· The Eagles kept the momentum in the fourth set, getting out to a lead of 4-0. They built the margin to a match-high seven points (15-8) and the Retrievers could not slice the deficit to inside of three points (17-14) the rest of the way.
STAT CHECK
· After missing the Mountaineer Classic, sophomore Aysia Miller (Mililani, Hawaii) returned to the lineup and led the team with 15 digs.
· Junior setter Andjelija Draskovic (Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia) dished out a season-high 46 assists.
· UMBC won the battle at the net with 11 blocks to CSU's 7, but the Eagles outhit UMBC in each set and .213 to .162 for the match.
UP NEXT
The Retrievers open the defense of their 2020-21 America East by hosting Stony Brook on Saturday, Sept. 25. The match gets underway at 1:00 p.m.
