COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Led by senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher's 22 kills, the Maryland volleyball team earned its first Big Ten Conference win, 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 15-8), over Rutgers Tuesday evening.
The Terps and Scarlet Knights both played on the Big Ten Network for the first time, and though the teams were evenly matched most of the night, Crutcher's 22nd kill sealed the win for Maryland in front of 1,215 fans.
“The last time people saw us on national television was against Washington, and our team has grown a lot since then,” said Crutcher. “I feel like this is a step in a new direction for Maryland volleyball so people can see how far we're coming.”
Crutcher returned to the court after suffering an injury against Minnesota and missing the team's last three matches.
“I think it was a brave effort by [Crutcher],” said head coach Steve Aird. “She's still not 100 percent, but she really wanted to play. I always just tell her to go for it – I don't care if she gets blocked, I don't care if she hits it out. I want her to be aggressive. I was proud of her effort.”
Halfway through the first set, the Terps led 15-10 with kills from five different players. Rutgers began to climb back into the set, tying the game at 18. Though the teams stayed close, the Scarlet Knights used Maryland errors and few kills to take the set, 25-22.
Sophomore setter Whitney Craigo tallied three straight service aces as the Terps tied the match 1-1 with a 25-22 second set win. Maryland held a narrow lead for the entire set before the Knights tied at 22. A solo block from Crutcher and two Rutgers attack errors gave the Terps the 25-22 win.
Maryland took a 2-0 match lead in the third set, led by six Crutcher kills. Rutgers took a 13-8 lead, but the Terps were able to claw back and tie the set at 16 on a Hailey Murray kill. A pair of blocks from Kelsey Hrebenach, Murray and Emily Fraik vaulted Maryland ahead, and three kills and an Amy Dion service ace allowed the Terrapins to take a 25-20 set win into the intermission.
Rutgers refused to let Maryland take the match as it won the fourth set. The teams tied 12 times and the lead changed seven times in the game. Tied at 17, the Scarlet Knights used three huge blocks to force the match to five sets.
The Terps ran away with the fifth set to take the match win. Maryland took a 10-5 lead off six kills from Crutcher. The Scarlet Knights managed three more kills before Fraik made it 14-8. With the match point, Crutcher crushed a kill to take the set and match for the Terps.
Maryland made 11 total service aces, with Craigo making four and Dion earning three. Murray made six assisted blocks while MacGregor tallied one solo and four assisted blocks. Dion led the Terps with 13 digs while Craigo made 20 assists.
The Terps take on the Scarlet Knights again this Saturday in Piscataway at 7 p.m.
