Maryland volleyball succumbs to Iowa in five sets

After suffering its first loss since Aug. 31, Maryland volleyball looked to rebound and get back in the win-column. But against Iowa Saturday evening, the Terps fell in their second consecutive five-setter.

“We just continue to find ways not to be able to capitalize in fifth games,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “As the leader of the program, I’ve got to find some solutions. Got to find ways to capitalize on these opportunities.”

Just like she’s done all season, pin hitter Samantha Schnitta helped Maryland (9-4) get off to an early 6-3 lead. She recorded a service ace, while outside hitters Sydney Bryant and Sam Csire each added a kill.

Iowa (8-6) cut the lead to one after a service ace from outside hitter Michelle Urquhart before another Csire kill extended the Terps’ lead to three.

Hawkeyes’ middle hitter Hannah Whittingstall gave her team some momentum with a kill, knotting the score at nine. Then, two kills and a service ace from Iowa’s outside hitter Malu Garcia put the Hawkeyes ahead by three.

Csire’s third kill of the set was followed up by Schnitta and middle blocker Ellie Watson teaming up for a block, leveling the score at 18. Iowa scored two consecutive points after its timeout, but a kill from middle blocker Eva Rohrbach and service ace from Schnitta tied the score at 22.

Two kills from Bryant gave Maryland a set point, but the Hawkeyes responded with two points of their own, putting the score at 25-24. Iowa scored the last two points of the set, as the Terps fell, 27-25. Bryant recorded a set-high seven kills for Maryland.

In the second set, the score was knotted at two apiece before Maryland scored seven straight points to get out to a much-needed lead. Defensive specialist Ally Williams had two service aces, while Rohrbach added two total blocks.

Down 10-3, Iowa mustered a comeback with back-to-back service aces from outside hitter Alyssa Worden, cutting the Terps’ lead to one. Schnitta stopped the bleeding with two kills from the back row, extending Maryland’s lead to two. Back-to-back kills from Bryant put the score at 16-13.

Schnitta’s third service ace of the set extended the Terps’ lead to six. Freshman pin hitter Katherine Scherer added a kill late in the set to keep Maryland up six before the Hawkeyes teamed up for two blocks. An Iowa serve sailed long, giving the Terps set point. Defensive specialist Jonna Spohn then closed out a 25-21 set victory for Maryland with a service ace.

In the third set, the Terps got off to 8-4 lead by way of two service aces from Schnitta, but the Hawkeyes responded back with five consecutive points. An attack from Bryant sailed long, extending the Iowa lead to three, before Bryant responded back with a kill.

Back-to-back kills from Rohrbach helped knot the score at 16, before Hawkeyes’ outside hitter Gabby Deery put her team in front with three kills. Bryant’s 15th and 16th kills of the match soon leveled the score at 21. Consecutive blocks from Iowa gave them a set point before Deery closed out the set, as the Terps fell, 25-23.

“We call it red zone, up or down by one,” Hughes said. “That’s our achilles heel right now. We’re able to get on runs, but once we find ourselves late in games, we seem to lose a little bit of execution.”

Maryland fell behind 5-1 early in the fourth set after two kills from Urquhart. Two kills from Schnitta and one from Csire cut Iowa’s lead to one, before Deery stopped the Terps’ momentum. Consecutive blocks from Maryland leveled the score at 11.

Trailing 14-12, Bryant added another kill before a joint-block from Dowler and Rohrbach tied the score. A kill and service ace from Urquhart put her team back up two. A big dig from Iowa’s libero Joy Galles set up a kill from Deery before Bryant racked up her 21st kill of the match.

A kill from Schnitta sparked a late-run for the Terps, as they earned a 23-20 lead. Schnitta gave Maryland a set point with a service ace, but Iowa didn’t go away, notching three consecutive points. Ultimately, though, Rohrbach finished a 25-23 set win for the Terps with a kill.

Defense was on display early in the fifth set as Spohn saved two points, helping Maryland get out to a lead. Schnitta forced a Hawkeyes’ timeout with her seventh service ace of the match before Rohrbach added a service ace, giving the Terps the lead.

Schnitta kept Maryland in the fifth set with three late kills before Bryant and Rohrbach each added a kill, pushing the Terps ahead by two. Iowa responded with four points of its own, setting up match point. Urquhart closed it out for the Hawkeyes, 15-13, as Maryland fell to 0-2 in Big Ten play.

Three things to know

1. Career-high in kills from Bryant. After only tallying seven kills in Thursday’s match, Bryant got hot early en route to 24 kills. Her career-high coming into the match was 18.

“I think what she’s learning is that to solidify this role that she has as a consistent starter, she’s going to have the ups and downs,” Hughes said. “I told her in the locker room that she gave us a shot, it’s something that she can bank on.”

2. Consecutive home losses. Maryland headed into its first two matches of Big Ten play searching for two wins. Instead, the Terps walked away with two five-set losses. Maryland will next play on the road against No. 4 Penn State.

3. Seven blocks from Rohrbach. With middle blocker Anastasia Russ sidelined due to injury, Rohrbach garnered all the attention at the net. She didn’t disappoint, posting seven blocks in the loss.