UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Maryland volleyball team fell, 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-15), to defending national champion and sixth-ranked Penn State Saturday evening. Head coach Steve Aird and assistant coach Adam Hughes, both Penn State alumni and former coaches for the Nittany Lions, returned to Rec Hall for the first time as opponents.
“It was a special night for me, to come back to a place that's special to me, and play a match,” said Aird. “It's the first time I've ever played a match coaching against Penn State. They are how you expect them to be – they're well coached, they're physical, their kids play hard and have fun. We've got a long way to go, but we've got to expose this team to what it's going to take to have success in the conference.”
For the sixth straight match, senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher led the night in kills, notching 16 against the Nittany Lions.
Penn State (24-3, 12-2 Big Ten) hit .737 in the first set, making 15 kills and four blocks to hand Maryland (9-16, 2-12) a 25-11 set loss. Crutcher made four of the Terps' eight kills in the first stanza, and middle blockers Chavi St. Hill and Hailey Murray combined for a block.
The Terps played the second set more closely matched with the Nittany Lions. Two Penn State service errors gave Maryland an early 2-1 lead. Sophomore setter Carlotta Oggioni served an ace and Crutcher made a kill before the Nittany Lions took the lead back. Maryland still pressed Penn State as sophomore setter Whitney Craigo and junior middle blocker Emily Fraik added service aces.
Crutcher made a close kill to bring the Terps within one at 16-15. The Nittany Lions used five blocks in the set, including three from Aiyana Washington, to build the lead back and took the set, 25-28.
Penn State's Micha Hancock recorded the first three points of the third set with a kill and two service aces. The Nittany Lions built to a 14-7 lead before three straight Maryland points brought the Terps with three. Freshman defensive specialist Samantha Higginbothem made a late service ace as Penn State led, 19-13. A kill from Crutcher and a block from middle blocker Catie Coyle and Murray pushed the Nittany Lions to a third match point attempt, but a kill from Haleigh Washington gave the home team a 3-0 win.
Maryland is back on the road next week, taking on No. 12 Purdue Wednesday at 7 p.m.
