Maryland volleyball drops both West Coast matches; falls in straight sets to No. 25 UCLA

Photo by Kevin Snyder/Maryland Terrapins. Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics.

In Thursday’s loss to No. 22 USC, Maryland volleyball tallied its fewest amount of kills all season.

Against No. 25 UCLA, Maryland’s offensive struggles continued.

Maryland lost its second straight match in straight sets on Saturday to UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, largely due to offensive disparities and the absence of its conference-leading blocking at the net. The Terps recorded just 29 kills, compared to the Bruins’ 48 kills.

The Terps (8-12, 1-9 Big Ten) entered play ranked last in the Big Ten with a .182 hitting percentage and just 11.19 kills per set, but boasted a conference-best blocking unit. Against USC and UCLA, its defense struggled as both squads hit at a .321 clip or better. 

The Bruins started the match fast, opening with a 6-0 run and forcing Maryland into an early timeout. The Terps committed two errors in the early run, which were emblematic of the Terps’ latest offensive struggles as they entered the contest with consecutive 25-error performances. While Maryland committed just two more errors the rest of the set, it hit at a .100 rate and dropped the opening set 25-15.

Despite Maryland’s offensive woes, opposite hitter Ajack Malual remained a bright spot for the Terps.

The senior entered Saturday’s match leading the team and ranking sixth in the conference with 264 kills. Malual was one of just three players to hit at a positive rate in the opening set and claimed seven of her team’s first nine kills and finished the match with 11.

A 6-2 run in the second set gave the Bruins another early set lead, with half of their points coming via blocks. Redshirt junior middle blocker Marianna Singletary was stout in the set, recording three blocks and aiding a unit that stifled Maryland early in the set. She accounted for eight blocks in the match for the Bruins’ defense, spearheading the second set win.

Offensively, UCLA outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette exploded in the second set. The senior tallied nine kills while hitting at a .450 rate and continuously broke through the Terps’ block on the left side of the net. 

But the Terps’ offense surged late in the set following a timeout from head coach Adam Hughes after the team trailed 16-9 early. Maryland notched 12 kills in the second set, cutting the lead to just 21-19. 

Despite the quick turnaround, the Bruins’ offense remained consistent, notching 18 kills and hitting at .318 on their way to a 25-22 set win that ended on three kills.

The third set saw the Terps claim their first lead of the match, jumping ahead 8-6 due to five combined early kills from Malual and redshirt sophomore outside hitter Olivia Ruy. But the Bruins regained the lead, mounting an 8-2 run that led to a 14-11 advantage.

UCLA controlled the pace for the rest of the set, notching 16 kills, while its defense tallied three more blocks. The Terps attempted to rally, but errors continued to plague the offense, accruing six in the final set as the Bruins sealed a 25-20 set victory to close out a straight set sweep.

After losing its last seven sets, Maryland will return home to close out the month against No. 23 Indiana. The Terps have performed much better at home this season and will look to fix the offensive struggles that defined the road trip.