EVANSTON, Ill. – Led by double figure kills from senior Adreené Elliott and sophomore Hailey Murray, the Maryland volleyball team finished the 2015 season with a three-set win over Northwestern Saturday in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Terps (15-19, 5-15 B1G) defeated the Wildcats (14-17, 6-14) by set scores of 25-23, 25-20, 25-23.
“I was proud that the team fought until the last whistle,” head coach Steve Aird said. “That's what I want every team in my program to do, to keep battling and fighting. Northwestern is a great team and kept working, but I'm glad the seniors and the team were able to get the win.”
Elliott led Maryland with 13 kills while Murray notched 12 on a .556 clip. Junior setter Whitney Craigo finished a double-double with 34 assists and 10 digs. Murray and freshman opposite hitter Angel Gaskin each posted five blocks. Freshman libero Kelsey Wicinski led the Terrapins with 11 digs.
“I was happy we were able to send the seniors out with a win,” Murray said. “The team has grown a lot this season, and it's great that we were able to grind and work to get the win.”
With a pair of wins this week, the Terps finish the season on a multiple-match winning streak for the first time since 2006.
Maryland came from behind to win the first set, 25-23. The Wildcats took a quick 9-4 lead to start the match before pushing ahead, 12-8. Murray and Gaskin combined for a block before Murray notched back-to-back kills to tie the set, 13-13. The Terps continued to come back and tie the set before an Ashlyn MacGregor-Craigo block and an ace from Amy Dion gave Maryland an 18-16 lead. Murray's kill put the Terps at set point, 24-22, before a kill from Twilley gave Maryland the set win.
The Terrapins controlled the second set from opening serve. Wicinski notched an ace to put Maryland ahead, 4-2, and a block from Craigo and Murray pushed the team ahead, 11-7. A MacGregor solo block kept the Terps in front, 21-16. A Wildcat push pulled the home team within four, 23-19, before a kill from Murray put Maryland at set point, 24-19. A Northwestern service error gave Maryland the set win.
Kills from Gaskin and Liz Twilley helped the Terps keep the momentum in set three with a 7-4 lead before the Wildcats responded with three points to tie the game. Northwestern was able to take the lead, 14-13, before a 3-0 Maryland run, all on points from Gaskin, pushed the Terps back ahead, 16-14. Elliott rattled off a trio of kills to keep Maryland in front, 22-19. With the Terps at match point, Northwestern extended the set three times before Twilley was able to seal the win with a kill, 25-23.
Dion finishes her Maryland career ranked ninth all-time in program record books with 1,192 digs. Elliott concludes her time as a Terp as the program leader in career solo blocks (99) and ranked second in career kills (1,424). Elliott also ranks sixth in total attacks (3,438), 10th in hitting percentage (.272), seventh in career block assists (300) and seventh in total career blocks (399).
Maryland played its most difficult schedule in 2015 as the Terps faced 15 teams that were either ranked or received votes in the AVCA Coaches Poll at the time of competition. The Terps posted 15 wins in 2015, five more than the previous year. Maryland upset No. 12 Ohio State in straight sets on Nov. 6, marking the Terrapins' first win over a ranked opponent since 2010.
– Maryland –
