Maryland volleyball sweeps Northwestern, 3-0

A kill from Sam Csire put the Wildcats within five of facing a sweep, 20-12. Trying to keep the match alive, a kill from Northwestern made the score 21-13. Csire, not letting up, gave the Terps another kill, giving Maryland within three points of a sweep.

Seeming as if Northwestern had found its groove again, the Wildcats went on a 3-1 lead to make the set 24-16, despite the Terps looking for one more point to call the match. With tension high on both sides, little time left, and the ball in Northwestern’s hands, the Wildcats faced a service error that gave the Terps just the point they needed to hand them the game. The Terps won the third set 25-16, sweeping the Wildcats. 

Maryland volleyball faced off against Northwestern in its first of two against the Wildcats this season.

Maryland started the first set with an early 4-3 lead, and a 3-1 run helped the Terps extend their lead to 8-4. Entering the middle of the set, the Wildcats began to close in on Maryland’s lead, 13-12, after exchanging kills by both teams. 

Entering a tight set, the Terps and the Wildcats found themselves tied at 14. Continuing a run, the Wildcats took the lead from under the Terps to make it the score 17-14, forcing a Maryland timeout. After the timeout, multiple errors by Northwestern made it a one point set. With the Wildcats three points shy of taking the first set, the Terps called for another timeout. 

Coming back from the time out, the Terps brought momentum onto the floor with kills from juniors Anastasia Russ and Csire, trimming their deficit down to one, 22-21. On a roll, Csire went for another kill, tying the score. Now on a 4-0 run, a kill from Russ gave Maryland the lead, and two points shy of set point, forcing a Northwestern timeout.

After the timeout, the Terps continued their rally with an attack error from the Wildcats followed by a kill from Csire, winning the first set, 25-22.

The Terps held the Wildcats, one of the top hitting teams in the Big Ten, to a .279 hitting percentage. 

Maryland brought all the energy to start the second set, going on a 5-0 run, quickly forcing Northwestern to call timeout. After the timeout, trying to stay in the set, the Wildcats cut the Maryland lead down to four, 7-3, after a powerful kill from senior Temi Thomas-Ailara. Keeping the same pace, an exchange of kills from both sides led Maryland to keep its four point lead going into the middle stages of the set, 11-7.

Back-to-back kills from the Wildcats made it a two point set, 16-14. Another kill to follow helped Northwestern trim its deficit down to one, forcing a Maryland timeout. After the timeout, the Wildcats tied the score at sixteen. The Terps quickly found the lead again entering the end of the set, 19-17.

The Terps kept their lead towards the end, 23-22, with the Wildcats still hanging on. Powerful kills from Csire helped Maryland wrap up the second set with a win, 25-22, and put the Terps one set away from sweeping the Wildcats.  

The Terps and Wildcats tied in kills (15) and aces (one), but the Terps led in blocks (five). Maryland recorded a .282 hitting percentage in the second set. 

The third set began as a close one, as Maryland only led the WIldcats by one, 4-3. Going on a 3-0 run, the Wildcats tied the set at nine. 

Later in the set, the Terps extended their lead to 16-10. 

With the Terps looking for just five more points to call the game, two kills from Csire helped put the Terps closer to their goal. Northwestern, playing with new found momentum, drew out the end of the third set with a 3-1 run, 24-16. Despite Northwestern’s efforts, a service error from the Wildcats gave the Terps match point, winning the set 25-16. 

The Terps finished with 25 blocks, 34 assists, and tied with the Wildcats in aces (three) and kills (41). In a great hitting night, the Terps recorded a .294 hitting percentage. 

Now on a two-match winning streak, the Terps look to continue their streak at Purdue.