After a 5-set loss to Penn State, Maryland volleyball looked to end a four-game losing streak in the Big Ten.
The Terps fought in a gritty match, but ultimately fell, 3-1, to Illinois, extending its losing streak to five games.
Despite winning the first set, Maryland lost the three following sets.
The first set opened with multiple lead changes, as both sides exchanged runs. Maryland senior Ajack Malual and Illinois redshirt sophomore Auburn Tomkinson exchanged many early kills.
Maryland’s blocking unit was in charge of the first set, outblocking the Fighting Illini, 9-4. Illinois had just as strong an offense, creating a late five-point run to give them a comfortable lead.
“[I] thought we had a really good defensive day,” said Maryland coach Adam Hughes. “Just have been very inconsistent offensively and, you know, trying to find a way to score a few more points.”
Maryland took a timeout to slow down the Illinois momentum, and followed it with a three-point run of their own to tie the set at 21.
The Terps took the latter end of the set, with a kill by Malual ending the set, 26-24. Tomkinson was the star for Illinois in the first set, recording nine kills.
The second set looked no different, with both teams going on reciprocal runs throughout the set. Maryland had five different players record a kill within their first ten points, keeping the match tied at 10.
With the score tied at 15, Maryland went on a five-point run, led by junior Sydney Bryant with two kills. This marked the largest lead of the night so far/
Illinois fought back with a 9-2 run to retake the lead. A kill by junior Jenna Phelan, her first of the night, to win the set, 25-23.
Maryland took an early lead in the third set, but Illinois fought right back with a four-point run. The run was led by a pair of kills from redshirt sophomore Taylor de Boer, followed by a pair of kills by sophomore Ashlyn Philpot.
Maryland bounced back with a four-point run of their own to regain the lead. The lead didn’t last long, as Illinois quickly followed with a five-point run as well, centered around a pair of kills by Tomkinson.
Malual attempted to rally the Terps back with a couple of kills, but the Fighting Illini took the third set convincingly, 25-18.
Malual and Tomkinson continued their dominance, opening up the fourth set with a kill apiece.
Both teams continued to exchange kills, with the lead changes occurring back and forth.
The set continued with many attacking errors by both teams, but a timeout with the score tied at 18 switched the pace.
Illinois gained much-needed momentum to put them within one point of the win, 24-21, but a service error and a kill by Malual kept Maryland alive.
The door was quickly closed by Illinois, as a kill by Philpot put the match away, 25-23.
“I think our challenge is to stay in the fight and keep battling. And you know, I thought they did that realistically,” said coach Hughes. “Just unfortunately, we missed a few opportunities to get ourselves away today.”
Maryland will play its third home game in a row on Sunday against Wisconsin, still searching for their first win in conference play.
