Maryland Volleyball lost a thrilling five-set match versus Indiana 3-2.
The Terps finally returned home to College Park after playing their last ten games on the road.
The Terps hoped their return home would bring a better feeling after suffering a tough loss to Illinois on Friday. Indiana was also looking for a rebound performance after being swept by Penn State in their Big Ten opener.
The first set was a tough grind for both teams. The set started with both teams committing errors early. The teams quickly settled in, and once they did, neither team gained much separation on the scoreboard. Indiana was able to win the set, 25-21, due to a 4-0 scoring run.
The second set started close just as the first set did. Indiana was able to slowly gain a small lead, until they scored six unanswered points to take a commanding 22-14 lead. The Terps lost the second set, 25-16.
Maryland came out in the third set, hoping to prolong the match, and they did just that, winning the set, 26-24.
Maryland came out swinging, earning a 14-12 lead in the middle of the set. Indiana was able to fight back, tying the Terps late at 21 all.
Maryland’s defense was the deciding factor in the set, tallying three blocks to get the lead 23-21. The set ended via a thunderous block from Sam Csire and Rainelle Jones.
The start of set four was the mirror image of the first, with both teams having to grind for every point they earned. Maryland pushe through to take control, going on a 5-0 scoring run to gain a three-point advantage.
Maryland remained in control of the set from that point, winning 25-19 and forcing an all deciding fifth set.
A major difference between the first two sets and the ladder two was Maryland getting their middle blockers involved offensively, something Rainelle Jones contributes to Sydney Dowler.
“We want to establish the pins at first and then make our way into it, or the opposite have our middles establish and then make our way to the pins. (Dowler) did a really good job of spreading out the ball,” said Jones.
The Terps came out on fire to start the fifth set earning 6-2 lead. That lead quickly evaporated after Indiana scored seven of the next nine points to grab the lead 9-8.
The set only got more exciting, as both teams continued to trade point after point. The crowd at The Pavilion erupted when Maryland tied the set at 15.
“I think we got the crowd into it towards the end, which is really cool,” said Jones.
The cheers didn’t last as Maryland lost the set 17-15.
The loss marks Maryland’s fifth loss of the season and their second loss in Big Ten play. The Terps looked flat in the first two sets, something coach Adam Hughes observed in the match.
“I mean, realistically, I just don’t think we played very well from the jump. You know, I didn’t think we were necessarily firing on all cylinders, didn’t think we were very confident. That’s my job, to make sure that they’re ready to go,” said Hughes.
A positive for Maryland was the play of Gem Grimshaw, who got her first taste of Big Ten action. She ended the match with seven kills and two service aces, and her play on the serve was crucial in facilitating Maryland’s comeback.
“Gem’s a pretty good passer too. And we were really struggling in serve receive, you know, Indiana was a team that had historically been serving a lot of balls pretty aggressively and jump-spinning. They went to some floats, and we thought it would give us a chance, maybe to get a few better passes,” said Hughes.
Maryland gave up 11 service aces and committed 17 service errors of their own.
Maryland is now 0-3 when playing a fifth set this year and 0-5 when they lose the first set.
The Terps next match will come against Michigan State on Friday.
