Maryland volleyball continues Big Ten struggles, falls to Illinois in straight sets

The Terps have not won a set in four consecutive matches.

Trailing 23-22 late in the first set, Maryland volleyball needed something out of pin hitter Samantha Schnitta, the nation’s leader in service aces.

She got another one to knot the score, sending it to the deep back left corner of the court. But Schnitta followed that up with the Terps’ fourth service error of the set, killing momentum en route to an eventual Illinois opening set victory.

After three straight matches without winning a set, Maryland looked for its second Big Ten victory of the season. The Terps fell short once again, losing in three sets against Illinois on the road.

Maryland (10-9) needed a quick start and outside hitter Sydney Bryant provided just that, opening first-set scoring with a kill. Back-to-back kills from Schnitta helped push the Terps in front, 5-2.

Another kill from Bryant extended Maryland’s lead to five. With the score at 14-9, three straight Terps’ errors brought Illinois back within striking distance. But, Maryland responded with two points of its own, including a service ace from defensive specialist Jonna Spohn. The Fighting Illini cut the Terps’ lead to two after a kill from outside hitter Averie Hernandez.

Setter Sydney Dowler moved the score to 19-15 with a kill and service ace. After a kill from outside hitter Sam Csire, Illinois went on a five-point run, pushing to a 21-20 lead. Consecutive kills from outside hitter Raina Terry led the charge.

Middle blocker Eva Rohrbach gave Maryland two late kills, but consecutive attack errors led to Illinois taking the set, 28-26.

“One of the things that was clear is that [Eva] missed serves in the last match, and she wanted to clean it up,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “She did a good job making that adjustment. In some ways, that was a big step forward for us.”

The Fighting Illini rocketed to an early 8-0 lead, including two kills from Terry and a service ace from Hernandez. Bryant stopped the bleeding with her fourth kill of the match, but Illinois responded with two more points. Down 10-1, a service ace from Schnitta looked to spark some momentum for the Terps.

A tip shot that trickled just wide of Rohrbach extended the Fighting Illini’s lead back to nine. Schnitta tallied her fifth kill of the set before Dowler added three consecutive service aces, giving Maryland some life. But Terry ended the Terps’ four-point run with a kill.

Illinois extended its lead to 12, 22-10, after a kill from outside hitter Laynie Smith.

Maryland scored five straight points via two kills from Bryant and one apiece from Csire and middle blocker Anastasia Russ. But it was too little too late, as Terry closed out the second set with her ninth kill. The Terps fell, 25-17, in the set.

Looking to avoid a repeat of the second set, Bryant put Maryland on the board with a kill before Spohn added another service ace. With the score tied at three, the Fighting Illini scored three consecutive points, including two kills from Hernandez.

Behind 12-8, Bryant started a rally for the Terps with a kill, followed up by two kills from Csire and a service ace from Spohn. Rohrbach pushed Maryland in front by two with a service ace before six points later Csire added one more, moving the score to 19-15. But setter Brooke Mosher helped Illinois storm back with three service aces.

Consecutive Fighting Illini errors helped the Terps level the set at 21 apiece. Illinois’ eighth service ace of the day gave it match point, before Terry sealed it up with her match-high 15th kill. Maryland fell 25-23.

“We talk a lot about cleaning up some details,” Hughes said. “Sometimes we want it so bad that it puts that pressure on it. If we can play a little bit more free, we can find ways to do that.”

Three things to know

1. Struggles against Illinois. The Terps have historically had issues when facing the Fighting Illini, falling to 0-15 all-time against them. Maryland lost in five-sets last season at home against Illinois, the closest it’s ever gotten to a victory.

“They know we have a lot of history, and we would love to have cracked that door tonight,” Hughes said. “I thought [at] times we had chances and just didn’t get it done.”

2. Bryant steps up. With Schnitta and Csire struggling in the match, the sophomore outside hitter took over the offense for the Terps. Bryant had a team-high 11 kills tonight after recording just 15 over her past three matches. Despite the loss, she showed the potential to take over a match.

3. Four matches without a set victory. Coming off of a straight-set victory at home against Rutgers, the Terps looked to carry some momentum on the road. Instead, Maryland has fallen in four straight matches and hasn’t won a set in any of them. The Terps head out west to face No. 11 Oregon and Washington next weekend.

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