Down, 2-0, to Gardner-Webb on day two of the Runnin' Bulldog Classic, Maryland Eastern Shore came from behind to tie the match at two before dropping the deciding fifth game and fell, 3-2 at Paul Porter Arena Saturday.

Sophomore Christine Edwards paced the Hawks attack with a match-high 19 kills, adding seven digs as the Bulldogs moved to 1-5 on the season with the 25-19, 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 15-10 win. The loss dropped UMES to 4-3 for the year, ending a three-match win streak.

Senior Whitney Johnson and redshirt junior Samantha Chukwura also had double-digit kills with 17 and 12, respectively. Senior Caylin Woodward and freshman Bella Jade Romero tied for the match high in digs with 16 apiece, while Romero led the Hawks with 48 assists for a double-double.

Laura Wilcox (15), Melissa Richie and Molly Rhyne (12) all had 10-plus kills for Gardner-Webb, which outhit .248-.213. Richie collected 13 digs and Rhyne had 11 to complete double-doubles of their own. Regina Feagin had 51 assists and 15 digs for the Gardner-Webb's third player with a double-double.

The Bulldogs had a six-point lead (15-9) in the first game when the Hawks took a timeout to try and stem the tide after a Rhyne kill on a set from Feagin. UMES cut the lead to 17- 13 with an Edwards swing but that was as close as the got the rest of the game. Richie closed the game with an ace.

UMES had as many as seven one-point leads in the second game but wasn't able to pull away. GWU seized the game with a 14-7 run to build the 2-0 advantage.

The third game was a different story as the Hawks hit .429 (19-4-35) to shave the deficit to one. An Edwards kill off a set by Woodward gave UMES a 10-5 lead heading into the first of two Gardner-Webb timeouts in the game. The second came with UMES ahead, 15-7 and followed a Chukwura kill from a set by Romero.

The Hawks forced a fifth game despite hitting just .139 (10-5-36) in the fourth. Their largest lead in the game was four at 23-19 on another Edwards kill. Evan Moffitt's attack errors handed UMES the game and tied the match.

Whitney Johnson's kill gave the Hawks the first point of game five but it proved to be the final lead UMES held as the Bulldogs cruised to the victory.

Gardner-Webb forced 26 UMES errors in the match while the Bulldogs committed 19 on their own. The hosts also won the blocking battle, 9.0-4.0.

The Hawks close the close the tournament against Wofford at noon on Saturday.