Maryland volleyball’s defense struggles in straight set loss to No. 1 Nebraska

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

In Thursday’s match against Iowa, Maryland volleyball’s troubles were rooted in its defense.

Against top-ranked Nebraska, Maryland’s defensive woes continued.

No. 1 Nebraska shot at a .360 rate on Saturday, as Maryland fell in straight sets at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The loss is Maryland’s second consecutive defeat in straight sets.

The Cornhuskers (12-0, 2-0 Big Ten) entered play with season-long offensive domination, outkilling their opponents 551-381 and hitting at a .314 rate. Saturday was no different, outkilling the Terps 49-25.

Senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick thrived on offense, tying a career-high with 13 kills and hitting at a .706 rate, including a seven-kill second set performance. Allick began Saturday’s game ranking third on her team in kills, with 84, and her ball placement continuously eluded the Terps’ (7-4, 0-2 Big Ten) blockers.

The first set opened with messy play, totaling six errors in the first ten points. But a 5-0 scoring run gave the Cornhuskers an 8-5 lead. The Terps’ offense struggled in the opening set, only posting three kills through the first half of the set.

Part of Maryland’s offensive struggles as a result of the Cornhuskers’ defense, tallying four blocks in the first set. Nebraska’s defensive presence at the net aided its offense, forcing Maryland to send numerous free balls over the net and allowing Nebraska’s offense to set up. The result was a 14-kill first set for the Cornhuskers.

The Terps once again kept it close in the early stages of the second set, trailing 12-10 as senior opposite hitter Ajack Malual snagged two early kills and a service ace. But the Terps’ continued defensive woes allowed the Cornhuskers to establish consistent offensive production, recording 18 kills in the second set. 

The Terps’ offense nearly mounted a comeback in the second set, churning out a 9-3 run to pull within a point following a mid-set timeout from head coach Adam Hughes. But the Cornhuskers sank two late kills to take the second set, 27-25.

“It was nice to have a chance to maybe steal set two,” coach Hughes said. “I thought it was, overall, a pretty good level of competition.”

The Cornhuskers started the third set quickly on a 5-0 scoring run.. The Terps’ defense consistently missed blocking opportunities at the net, allowing the Cornhuskers’ top-ranked offense to take advantage of gaps easily.

This time, Terps never closed the gap. The Cornhuskers collected 17 kills and hit at a whopping .452 rate, while committing only three errors. The result was a 25-14 set win for the Cornhuskers, which completed the straight set sweep.

“I thought we were really resilient in today’s loss,” coach Hughes said. “I saw us play very hard and I felt we matched their intensity.”

Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson was a huge factor in the offensive explosion in the third set, tallying four kills. The 2024 AVCA First Team All-America ended the match with nine kills, hitting at an impressive 80% clip. Jackson and Allick combined for 22 of Nebraska’s 49 kills, as the duo took control of the court at every opportunity. 

Maryland’s defense was a strength in non-conference play, but over its two Big Ten games, the Terps have been outblocked 20-8.

The Terps will look to win their first Big Ten set against Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J., on Friday.