LINCOLN, Neb. – Despite a set three win to extend the match, the Maryland volleyball team fell, 3-1 (17-25, 14-25, 25-18, 18-25) to No. 11 Nebraska Sunday afternoon in the Devaney Center.
Playing their fifth straight match against a ranked opponent, the Terrapins (9-18, 2-14 Big Ten) fought throughout the afternoon, pushing the Cornhuskers (18-7, 12-4) to six set points in the first and winning the third set, 25-18. Maryland has taken three sets from ranked opponents this season.
In front of a home crowd of 8,005, Nebraska was able to start the match with a 5-3 lead with help from Maryland errors. Senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher made four kills in the first set. After a timeout with the Huskers leading 17-9, middle blockers Catie Coyle and Ashlyn MacGregor each notched kills.
The Terps forced the Huskers to six set point attempts. Kills from freshman middle blocker Hailey Murray and junior outside hitter Emily Fraik and a pair of blocks held Nebraska off. The Huskers were able to get the 25-17 set win off a Kelsey Fien kill.
Maryland and Nebraska began the second set closely matched. The teams tied five times and the lead changed three times in the second stanza. Murray and sophomore middle blocker Chavi St. Hill combined for a pair of blocks, but the Huskers were able to pull away for a 15-8 lead. Fraik tried to cut the lead with a pair of kills, but Nebraska took a 23-14 advantage. The Huskers tallied the final two points to take a 2-0 match lead.
Refusing to back down, Maryland created a quick 4-1 lead with help from a MacGregor kill and a MacGregor-Crutcher block. The Terrapins held the lead for the rest of the set, led by six Fraik kills on .600 hitting. Fraik slammed Maryland's last two kills of the set as the team took a 25-18 set victory.
Nebraska took a 9-4 lead in the fourth set, but Maryland tallied four straight points to cut the lead to one. The Terps continued to stay within a couple points of the Huskers as Fraik and Crutcher continued their offense. Kadie Rolfzen notched three straight kills to take Nebraska to a 21-15 lead. Despite a Crutcher kill and a service ace from freshman defensive specialist Samantha Higginbothem, the Huskers were able to close out the match with a 25-18 set win.
Fraik led the Terps with 13 kills while Crutcher had 12. Sophomore setter Carlotta Oggioni dished 20 assists and junior libero Amy Dion made 15 digs. Murray, MacGregor and St. Hill each finished with four assisted blocks.
After two weeks on the road, the Terrapins return to College Park to take on Minnesota (16-11, 6-10) Wednesday at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast on BTN Plus on BTN2Go.
