Maryland volleyball started its season on a high note, but that quick jolt of momentum was silenced on Tuesday.
The Terps struggled in their first-ever matchup with Vanderbilt and never seemed to gain momentum.
The Commodores trounced the Terps in three straight sets (25-18, 25-15, 25-19) en route to a dominating victory in Nashville.
Vanderbilt started with a strong block in the first set, with middle blockers Kayla Dunlap and Rachel Ogunleye working to create a wall.
This persisted throughout the match.
Maryland struggled with their net coverage and passes that could set the team up for strong plays.
Vanderbilt outside hitter Reese Animashaun came in swinging and proved to be deadly with her hits and serves. Maryland’s blockers and defenders could not stop her.
By the second set, Maryland began adapting to the Vanderbilt blockers using high hands and other strategies – but it wasn’t enough.
Outside hitter Sydney Bryant was able to put the ball around with deep cross-court shots.
Maryland was forced to adapt to out-of-system plays due to Vanderbilt’s offensive intensity. The Terps couldn’t correct this issue and it stayed shaky throughout the match.
By the second set, passes were cleaner and smart plays such as a tip to the hole earned Maryland a few points.
However, Vanderbilt’s adaptability proved that in any unusual situations it was dealt, their setter Avery Scoggins could get someone to swing on the ball, no matter where it were on the court.
Dunlap continued to be a major force for the Commodores and had multiple kills running a slide. Vanderbilt’s back row was aggressive with their swings – it earned kills at ease.
Along with Vanderbilt’s adaptability, their serves proved difficult for the Maryland defense. The Commodores earned eight aces.
For most of the third set, the teams stayed within three points of each other, providing a good back-and-forth. A rally during the set with many digs from each side proved to be an intense point in the game, with Vanderbilt up 16-12 and every point being crucial for Maryland.
The match ended with a net violation by the Terps. But head coach Adam Hughes challenged the call, giving each side a break after the rally.
Eva Rohrbach from Maryland retaliated by running the slide off a free-ball play, earning a kill for the team.
Maryland trailed Vanderbilt closely and was confident after two plays with great passes, communication and adjustment from the offense.
However, with another slide from Dunlap, Maryland was falling behind, 21-16. The final nail in the coffin came from an error by Maryland with an out-of-system ball getting hit out, ending the set 25-19.
The Terps have a team full of fresh new faces from the No. 16-ranked freshman class, with six of the players getting plenty of minutes on the court.
Communication between the team could be improved upon moving forward. Maryland suffered from several moments of hesitation that cost it points and the match.
