Maryland volleyball drops Big Ten opener to Iowa in straight sets

Photo by Grayson Belanger/Maryland Terrapins. Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics.

Heading into Big Ten play, strong defense had defined Maryland volleyball’s season.

Maryland entered Thursday’s contest as one of the top defensive teams in the Big Ten, but its defense was no match for Iowa.

Iowa (10-3, 1-0 Big Ten) tallied 46 kills and finished with a .330 hitting percentage as Maryland (7-4, 0-1 Big Ten) suffered its first loss in straight sets this season, falling 3-0 at Xtream Arena. 

The strength of Maryland’s defensive unit relied heavily on blocks, totaling 120.5 and averaging 3.01 blocks per set — both Big Ten bests. Defensive digs and blocks for the Terps have consistently allowed offensive attacks to take shape all season. 

But on Thursday, defensive blunders hindered the offensive potential. The Terps were often left scrambling after faulty digs or weak blocks, preventing them from formulating solid offensive sequences. 

Sophomore middle blocker Duru Gökçen and junior middle blocker Eva Rohrbach both ranked inside the top three of the Big Ten blocks leaderboard, with 57 and 55, respectively. But the Hawkeyes frequently placed their shots perfectly, often avoiding Gökçen and Rohrbach’s presence at the net. 

Junior middle hitter Hannah Whittingstall’s pure power approach saw her attempts slam straight through the Terps’ wall through the first two sets, limiting the production from Gökçen and Rohrbach. Whittingstall finished the game with nine kills.

Defensively, Whittingstall was just as good. The SMU transfer was a staple for Iowa’s defense entering Thursday’s contest, tallying 55 blocks — third best in the Big Ten. Whittingstall continued her strong season against the Terps, finishing the first set with half of the Hawkeyes’ blocks. Whittingstall ended with a game-high seven total blocks.

A closer second set saw a balanced offensive attack from both teams, but the Terps could not penetrate the Hawkeyes’ defense. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes’ offense hit at a 30% clip through the first two sets, causing the Terps’ defense to scramble and never establish comfortable positioning for offensive attacks.

Graduate outside hitter Chard’e Vanzandt exploded in the second set, recording five kills. Her relentless offensive attack was a key factor in breaking down the Terps’ defense all game, notching 14 total kills and surpassing 1,000 career kills.

The two teams traded points to open a much cleaner third set, recording 17 kills in the first 24 points. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Olivia Ruy led the Terps in kills for the first time this season, accruing 12 despite the loss.

A 6-1 Terps scoring run gave them an 18-16 lead, and an overturned call established a 22-21 lead — their first late lead of the match. However, the Hawkeyes continued to take advantage of defensive holes, recording three blocks as part of a 4-1 run to take a 26-25 lead. 

But the Hawkeyes’ final point came on a Whittingstall kill, securing the sweep and their eighth victory in straight sets of the 2025 campaign. 

The Terps will now face No. 1 Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday at 4 p.m. The undefeated Cornhuskers bring a dominant offensive attack, a troubling matchup for a Terps’ defense that struggles in its Big Ten opener.