Connect with us

Maryland

Maryland wins opening set, falls in four sets to Washington

Published

on

Maryland wins opening set, falls in four sets to Washington


After going up 24-21 late in the opening set against Washington, Maryland volleyball looked poised to get its first set victory since Oct. 5. But the Huskies responded with two straight points of their own, putting the Terps at risk of blowing a lead eerily similar to Friday’s match.

Instead, pin hitter Samantha Schnitta clobbered a kill down the line — her fifth of the opening set — to give Maryland the set win. Schnitta, the team’s leader with 238 kills, entered the match in the midst of her worst three-game stretch of the season, recording just 20 kills.

The Terps headed into Seattle, Washington, hoping to avoid six matches without a set victory. Maryland left the road trip with some progress, but still fell in four sets on the road.

“Disappointed with the result, no moral victories,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “We want to find ways to get wins, and I think we’re capable of doing that here. Just came up a little bit short.”

Advertisement

Outside hitter Sam Csire, who led the Terps (10-11) with 10 kills against No. 11 Oregon, opened the scoring with a kill before recording a second one just two points later. Maryland got out to an early 4-1 lead.

Back-to-back joint-blocks from setter Sydney Dowler and middle blocker Anastasia Russ extended the Terps’ lead to six, 11-5. But the Huskies (16-4) stormed back with eight consecutive points, giving themselves a two-point lead. Outside hitter Kierstyn Barton had three kills during this stretch.

Trailing 15-13, Maryland scored five straight points including a service ace from defensive specialist Lilly Gunter and a kill from middle blocker Eva Rohrbach. Back-to-back kills from Washington outside hitter Madi Ensley helped knot the score at 21 apiece. But Maryland closed out the first set with four of the last six points, en route to a 25-23 set victory.

“I thought we did a good job in game one of standing tall,” Hughes said. “Had a chance there to maybe panic a little bit, but we didn’t and found a way to execute.”

The Terps’ momentum quickly vanished after the Huskies got out to an 8-2 lead in the second set. Barton led the run with three early kills. Rohrbach cut the Maryland deficit to three with a kill, the closest it ever got in the set.

Advertisement

An attacking error from Csire pushed Washington ahead by six, 15-9. Outside hitter Sydney Bryant tried to give the Terps some sort of spark with three kills. However, consecutive service aces from libero Lauren Bays eliminated any hope of that, making the score 23-14.

A service ace from Dowler and one kill apiece from Csire and Schnitta were late consolation points before middle blocker Katy Wessels closed it out for Washington. Maryland fell 25-17 in the second set.

The Huskies sprinted out to an early 5-0 lead in the third set after two kills from Ensley. But Maryland stormed right back, cutting the deficit to two. Schnitta and Dowler led the charge with two and one kills, respectively, while Dowler also added a service ace.

A tip-shot over the net from Russ leveled the score at 13 apiece before Csire moved the Terps in front with a service ace. With Maryland ahead 18-17, another service ace from Bays helped push Washington in front, 21-18.

Two kills from Csire — including one to the deep left corner — were followed up by a service ace from Dowler, tying the set at 23 apiece. On the seventh set point, Ensley tipped the ball just inside the sideline, and the Terps fell 31-29 in the third set.

Advertisement

Dowler helped push Maryland in front, 4-1, in the fourth set after her fourth service ace of the match. But two kills from outside hitter Kiune Fletcher moved the Huskies in front by one. A service error from Wessels temporarily tied the score at five, before Washington rattled off four quick points.

After Schnitta’s 13th kill of the match, Bryant stuffed the Huskies’ attack at the net, cutting the Terps’ deficit to two. With Maryland down 11-10, Washington went on a run of its own, capped off by a service ace from Endsley.

But the ensuing Huskies’ serve went straight into the net, moving the score to 15-12. An emphatic kill from Russ looked to provide a spark that the Terps so desperately needed. The Huskies had other plans, though, scoring six of the next eight points. Stepping behind the service line, Schnitta wrecked havoc, helping Maryland muster up three points.

An attack from Bryant was stifled at the net, moving Washington two points from the finish line. Consecutive kills from the Huskies closed out the forth set, 25-19.

“The biggest thing in game two and four was just big serving runs,” Hughes said. “We got stuck in a rotation each time, and at the elite levels, those things just get smaller. If you miss, you got a five or six-point run, it’s really hard to work your way back out of that.”

Advertisement

Three things to know

1. Set-drought over. Maryland was able to pick up its first set win in three weeks. After going scoreless against four ranked teams, the Terps closed out the opening set in the match before falling in the latter three.

2. Balanced offense. Led by 14 kills from Csire, Maryland had a very spread-out attack. Three players had double-digit performances, including Schnitta and Bryant with 13 and 10, respectively. Dowler and setter Zoe Huang combined for 44 assists.

“The setters did a good job of mixing and matching a little bit,” Hughes said. “Game one we passed really well. … I think we had 18 kills. That was pretty much because we were in system.”

3. Six-straight losses. Despite the first set win, Maryland has now fallen in six consecutive matches. The Terps have a 1-9 conference record and are tied for 16th in the Big Ten. Maryland returns home to face No. 10 Purdue on Friday.



Source link

Advertisement

Maryland

Strong winds Wednesday evening, cold weather for Thanksgiving in Maryland

Published

on

Strong winds Wednesday evening, cold weather for Thanksgiving in Maryland


Central and Eastern Maryland will experience unseasonably mild weather Wednesday afternoon, with highs in the mid-60s to near 70°. 

A strong cold front will bring a broken line of sprinkles and gusty showers to the area between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Measurable rainfall isn’t likely with the front, but a drastic temperature drop and gusty winds will be quite dramatic mid to late this evening.

Arctic blast Wednesday in Maryland

Early morning low clouds and fog are lifting across central and eastern Maryland. Skies will continue to be partially clear now through mid-afternoon. This will allow temperatures to climb into the upper 60s to near 70°. Expect a breeze out of the west-southwest at 10 to 20 mph.

Advertisement

A broken line of sprinkles and showers will cross the area between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. These sprinkles and showers will last anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes. Strong gusty winds will follow this batch of showers, which will help bring much colder air down into the area late tonight. 

Overnight lows will fall into the upper 30s, but gusty winds will continue to impact the region overnight with wind-chills down to around 30°.

Cold weather during Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Gusty, cold winds will be the big story across Maryland on Thanksgiving Day. Temperatures will drop into the upper 30s on Thanksgiving Day morning, with wind-chills even colder – a stark contrast from Wednesday afternoon. 

Thanksgiving Day looks cold for the entire day with partly sunny weather. Highs will only top out in the mid-40s with gusty winds out of the west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph. Wind-chills will not reach any higher than the mid to upper 30s.

The Ravens game Thanksgiving evening will feature January-like cold with temperatures in the lower 30s with numbing wind gusts and wind-chills in the 20s.

Advertisement

The cold and breeziness continues on Black Friday: Friday morning wind chills for some will dip into the teens and 20s. Even with sunshine in the forecast Friday, temperatures in some neighborhoods may not reach 40°.

Rain returns to Maryland Sunday

The final weekend of November starts quiet but may end on a wet note. Temperatures both days will max out in the 40s.  

Saturday looks brisk, bright and chilly with highs in the lower 40s. Clouds increase late Saturday into Sunday morning. Sunday also brings the chance of some rain back to Maryland, especially later in the day. We’ve tagged Sunday as a possible First Alert Weather Day for Sunday given that it’s another high-impact travel day across Maryland as people return from the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Winter weather possible early next week

While Monday looks nice and quiet with a partly to mostly cloudy sky, the weather could get interesting Monday night into next Tuesday as a wave of low pressure moves in our direction from the southwest.

The track and strength of this area of low pressure will be critical in determining how much rain, ice, and/or snow will be possible across central and eastern Maryland. Right now, computer models disagree with the exact track; therefore, a wide variety of outcomes are possible.

Advertisement

At this time, the chance of winter weather is great enough that the WJZ First Alert Weather Team has tagged Tuesday as a possible First Alert Weather Day. Please check back with our team through the holiday weekend as details about the storm and its possible impacts become clearer. 



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Maryland

Olympic Gold medalist Quincy Wilson commits to University of Maryland Track & Field Program

Published

on

Olympic Gold medalist Quincy Wilson commits to University of Maryland Track & Field Program


Olympic Gold medalist and Maryland native Quincy Wilson has committed to the University of Maryland’s Track and Field Program, Head Coach Andrew Valmon announced Monday. 

Wilson chose Maryland over South Carolina, Southern California, Texas A&M and UCLA, according to Coach Valmon.

“Quincy is a generational athlete who has the upside to continue to thrive at the top of our sport,” Valmon said in a statement. “His support system here at Maryland, in his home state, is unmatched. I am excited to get to work on this next phase of his journey.”

During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Wilson became the youngest American male to be part of the Olympic track team at 16 years old. 

Advertisement

He was a rising junior at Bullis School in Potomac when he competed in last year’s Olympics. He was also named the USATF Athlete of the Year in 2024 after becoming one of the most well-known track and field athletes in the U.S. 

Wilson worked alongside Terps Assistant Throws Coach Rudy Winkler and Maryland Associate Head Coach Danielle Siebert during the Paris Olympics. Former Olympian and record-holder Coach Valmon hopes to provide strong experience and mentorship to Wilson. 

“Though Maryland has produced several Olympians throughout the program’s track and field history and has several current and former Olympians and U.S. Track & Field Olympic staff, Wilson is the first-ever Olympic competitor to sign with the Terps,” UMD said in a statement.

Quincy Wilson’s Track and Field career 

Wilson had his breakout year in 2023, according to Coach Valmon. He claimed the New Balance Nationals indoor 400-meter title with 46.67 seconds and won second place at the New Balance Nationals outdoor 400 meters.

In 2023, Wilson also made history as one of the youngest U.S. athletes to sign a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) contract with a major sports brand. 

Advertisement

He completed the 2025 outdoor season tied for seventh fastest in the world. 

Wilson began competing nationally in 2022, winning his fifth AAU Junior Olympic Games title and coming in second place in the 200-meter final. 



Source link

Continue Reading

Maryland

Autopsy report in Maryland prosecutor Jonathan Luna’s 2003 death may soon be released

Published

on

Autopsy report in Maryland prosecutor Jonathan Luna’s 2003 death may soon be released


The autopsy report in the cold case surrounding the 2003 death of Baltimore prosecutor Jonathan Luna could soon be unsealed.

The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, District Attorney told WJZ that those coroner’s records should be released, which will be decided by the court.

Luna’s body was found in a creek in Lancaster County with nearly 40 stab wounds. The coroner ruled his death a homicide, but the report was never released.

In the decades since, police have not identified a suspect or suspects.

Advertisement

“In the years following the initial hearing in 2020, the investigation into the death of Jonathan Luna was handed over to a new team of investigators at the Pennsylvania State Police who undertook a thorough reexamination and reevaluation of the case, in close consultation with the District Attorney’s Office,” the Lancaster District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “Based on this reexamination and reevaluation and based on the new approach that we are taking with this very unique case, we now believe that the Coroner’s records can be unsealed without substantially hindering the investigation into Mr. Luna’s death.”

Luna’s unsolved death

Luna, who was a 38-year-old assistant U.S. attorney in Baltimore, was found lying face down in a creek, wearing a suit and a tie, in Lancaster County around 5 a.m. on December 4, 2003, according to the Washington Post.

The coroner’s office at the time determined that Luna had died from stab wounds and drowning. His death was determined to be a homicide. Officials said more than half of the stab wounds were to his neck.

According to a story by the Washington Post, Luna reported leaving his Baltimore office at 11:38 p.m. and heading north on Interstate 95, away from his home. 

His car passed through several toll booths in Maryland and Delaware before stopping at an ATM in Newark, Delaware, according to the Post. His debit card was reported used at a Sunoco gas station in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, around 3:20 a.m.

Advertisement

Police said Luna’s car was parked at the back of a well-drilling company in Denver, Pennsylvania, before it was driven into the creek. 

To this date, his case remains unsolved.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending