By Christian Andriolas

Maryland (9-3, 0-1 Big Ten) opened Big Ten play at home Thursday night, falling to Northwestern (3-6, 1-0 Big Ten) in five sets (25-19, 22-25, 25-18, 27-25, 11-15). 

The Terps came in hot on an eight-game win streak. The Wildcats came into the match 2-6 in non-conference play. 

The Terps came in knowing they were without graduate middle blocker Anastasia Russ, opening up some opportunities for others to step up this past weekend and moving forward. 

“It’s good that some of these guys are getting opportunities,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “[In the] UCF match, Katie [Scherer] had some great swings in plus situations, Jonna [Spawn] made some great saves, and Ellie [Watson] came in with three points [in] the match.” 

The Terps controlled set one, going on multiple five point scoring runs to win the set. 

Set two was back-and-forth throughout, with neither team getting a lead larger than two. Maryland took the lead 20-18, but the Wildcats scored seven of the final nine points to win the set and tie it 1-1. 

Maryland never surrendered the lead in set three, led by graduate pin hitter Samantha Schnitta, who contributed three of her 17 kills and one of six service aces to close out the set.

Schnitta came into the match averaging .78 aces per set – good for third in the nation. She kept that production going against Northwestern. 

“I try to knock them out,” said Schnitta. I’m not always going for the ace, but I know with the way my ball curves, I get a [some] here and there.” 

Northwestern jumped out to an early lead in the fourth set – 8-3 – but Maryland fought back, creating another back-and-forth set where neither team could take control. 

Maryland had the opportunity to win the match with a 24-23 lead, but one of the Terps’ 14 service errors kept the Wildcats in it. Northwestern used this momentum to win set four and force a decisive set five. 

The fifth set started with Northwestern jumping out to an early lead, but Maryland came back once again. However, the Wildcats controlled the rest of the set, led by graduate setter Alexa Rousseau, who contributed two clutch kills – of her 17 on the night – and another assist – where she leads the team – to close out the set and win the match. 

“[Against] UCF [in] set five… we were the aggressors. In that last set, it was hard to flip the script [and be] the aggressors. I think that’s [something] we can work on”, said Schnitta. 

The Terps look to bounce back at home again on Saturday against Iowa and get their first conference victory of the season.