Maryland volleyball nearly mounts straight set comeback; falls 3-2 to No. 16 Penn State

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

Entering the fifth set of the match, Maryland volleyball seemed poised to mount an improbable comeback.

The Terps had trailed the defending national champions — Penn State — 0-2, but rallied to force a final set. But the Terps’ comeback hopes were quickly vanquished by junior right-side hitter Kennedy Martin, tallying four kills in the set and finishing with a game-high 21.

Maryland (7-7, 0-4 Big Ten) lost at home for the first time this season, falling 3-2 to No. 16 Penn State (8-6, 2-2 Big Ten) at the Xfinity Center in College Park.

The Nittany Lions entered play amidst an unusual year. Penn State won a national championship last season but entered Sunday’s contest sitting at 7-6 after winning the national championship last season. But, it has outkilled opponents 657-601 and taken advantage of Martin’s 6-foot-6-inch frame, with the team averaging 13.14 kills per set.

Martin ranks second in the Big Ten, with 236 kills, reaching double-digit kills in all but one game this season. Martin’s power was on full display on Sunday, consistently dodging the Terps’ blocking at the net.

Martin not only brings power, but consistency, hitting at a nearly 31% clip on the season and committing just 74 errors. On Sunday, she hit at a .326 rate, committing only six errors. Martin capitalized on defensive opportunities as well, tallying 11 digs for the Nittany Lions.

The Terps entered Sunday’s contest having dropped all three of their conference matchups, losing to Iowa, Nebraska, and Rutgers. They continue to allow strong offenses to overwhelm their defensive efforts, and that was no different on Sunday. 

“We’ve got some young players who are trying to figure out how good they can be,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “I hope they took a lesson that they can do this.”

One of the bright spots for the Terps was opposite hitter Ajack Malual. The senior tallied 14 kills in the loss against Rutgers on Friday. Malual recorded 20 kills on Sunday, sparking multiple scoring runs and momentum swings for the team. 

A 7-0 scoring run opened up play for the Nittany Lions, giving them an early 8-1 lead. Freshman outside hitter Alexis Ewing and Martin combined for 10 of the team’s 17 kills in the first set, while the team hit .333. 

While the Terps played better later in the set, it was too late to make an impact on the Nittany Lions’ lead. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Olivia Ruy and Malual strung together late kills, but the Nittany Lions stormed their way to a 25-16 set one victory.

After taking the first point in the second set, the Terps continued to struggle to contain the Nittany Lions’ offense. A 5-0 scoring run led to an 8-2 deficit, forcing Hughes to call another early timeout. 

Despite the mid-set surge, the Terps consistently committed service errors, halting any momentum that may have swung in their favor. Maryland finished the game with 16 service errors, with six coming in the second set, allowing Penn State to claim a 2-0 lead.

“Once we were able to get in system, it was a great matchup for us,” Hughes said. “They settled in really well.”

The third set opened with a well-rounded Terps performance, highlighted by back-to-back service aces from senior defensive specialist Ally Williams, giving them a 7-3 lead. Malual also notched four early kills, aiding the Terps in securing a 17-12 lead.

Despite the lead, the Nittany Lions continued to surge, cutting the lead to just three. The Terps’ offense came to life at the end of the set on the heels of a seven-kill barrage from Malual, stringing together multiple small scoring runs to grow the lead. The result was a 25-19 set win — just Maryland’s second in Big Ten play.

Falling behind early in the fourth set, the Terps’ offense rallied for six straight points to regain a lead 9-6. Malual notched three mid-set kills, bringing the lead to 15-12. Martin started the fourth set quietly, only tallying one kill as the Nittany Lions recorded seven kills through the first 30 points.

It took just 10 more points for Martin to tally four more kills, surging from behind to tie the game 20-20. But a slew of errors from the Nittany Lions halted their momentum and allowed Maryland to take the fourth set 25-23 and force a fifth and final set.

The Nittany Lions pull ahead quickly, going on a 6-0 scoring run to extend the lead to 9-2. Martin notched four key kills during the middle of the set, and the Terps’ offense couldn’t find the answers. 

Despite a two-set surge from the Terps, the Nittany Lions dominated the final set, hitting at an impressive .583 and halting any comeback hopes.

Maryland is still searching for its first Big Ten win, with the next opportunity coming at home on Friday against Illinois.