Maryland volleyball drops match to No. 15 Penn State, 3-1

Down 2-1 entering the fourth set, Maryland volleyball looked to keep the match — and its hopes of an upset over No. 15 Penn State — alive.

Late in the set, two kills from Penn State junior Allie Holland put the Nittany Lions three points away from the match win, 22-20. A kill from Maryland junior Sydney Dowler quickly halted the Nittany Lions’ momentum to bring the Terps within one.

After Dowler’s kill, a kill by graduate student Kashauna Williams put Penn State three points away from the win, forcing a Maryland timeout. Coming out of the timeout, a service ace from Holland added to the Nittany Lions momentum, and a Maryland attack error to follow gave Penn State the set, 25-21, and the match, 3-1. 

Maryland missed two key starters for the first time this season. Graduate student Rainelle Jones and junior Laila Ricks both missed the match due to injury. Dowler and graduate student Gen Grimshaw filled in for Jones and Ricks.

The Nittany Lions took a 3-1 lead early in the first set, but the Terps quickly went on a 4-1 run due to a clutch kill from junior Sam Csire to tie the set at five. Tightly-played ball from both sides kept the score close, but a kill by graduate student Katie Clark and a Maryland service error brought Penn State up by two, 10-8. 

Penn State extended its lead to five entering the middle of the set, 13-8, forcing a Maryland timeout. After the timeout, kills from Csire and redshirt junior Anastasia Russ kept the Terps in the set.

Seeming to find momentum, Maryland began to close in on Penn State’s lead after a Nittany Lions error, 18-17. The Terps used a 4-1 run to take a one point lead after another Penn State error, 20-19. However, Penn State quickly regained its lead after a kill from freshman Alexa Markley, 21-20.

A 6-1 run from Penn State at the end of the set gave the Nittany Lions the first set win, 25-21.

Despite the loss, Maryland held Penn State to a .139 hitting percentage, compared to its percentage of .194 

Penn State got out to an early 3-1 lead in the second set before a big block assist from Grimshaw and Russ followed by a Penn State attack error tied the set at three. Later, a 4-0 run from Penn State gave the Nittany Lions a 9-6 lead. 

Later up just one, a 3-0 run opened up the lead for Penn State, but another kill from Grimshaw put the Terps within three, 14-11. Soon after, the Nittany Lions extended their lead 17-11 thanks to a 3-0 scoring run, forcing a Maryland timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, Penn State continued its run before a service error followed by a kill from Dowler cut Penn State’s lead down to five, 18-13. Finding their groove, the Terps made it into a three point set, 18-15.

A kill from Clark put Penn State ahead 20-17, forcing a Maryland timeout. Following the timeout, a service error from the Nittany Lions followed by a block assist from Dowler and Russ made it a one point set, 20-19.

Putting a stop to Maryland’s momentum, a 4-0 run from Penn State put the Nittany Lions up 24-19. A kill from Dowler tried to bring momentum back to the Terps, but a Maryland attack error soon followed to give Penn State the set win, 25-20. 

In its second set win, Penn State outscored Maryland in kills and aces.

Penn State had a 4-1 lead to start the third set, but the Terps quickly closed in to trim their deficit down to just one, 6-5. 

The set continued closely played, and a kill from Csire and a service ace from Grimshaw gave the Terps a one point lead, 13-12. A few points later, Maryland extended its lead after two tremendous kills from sophomore Ellie Watson, 15-13. 

Maryland went on a run to extend its lead to four, 19-15, which forced a Penn State timeout.

After the timeout, a kill from Williams cut Maryland’s lead to three, 19-16. Maryland closed out the set strong, winning 25-21 to force a fourth.

Looking to end the match, Penn State took a 5-2 lead to start the fourth set. Maryland fought back to tie the score at seven.

Later in the set, back-to-back kills from Csire gave Maryland a 12-11 lead, which forced a Penn State timeout. Shortly after the timeout, the Nittany Lions went on a 3-0 run to go ahead 15-12, which forced a Maryland timeout. 

Maryland followed strong, tying the set at 18. 

Penn State went ahead 20-19 after a kill from Holland, and the Nittany Lions coasted the rest of the way to win the match.