ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Freshman outside hitter Liz Twilley notched 16 kills as the Maryland volleyball team defeated Texas Tech, 3-1 (25-20, 14-25, 25-22, 25-16), on the first day of the Kristen Dickmann Invitational Friday.
With the win over the Red Raiders (6-2), the Terps move to 9-0 on the season. The team is off to its best start since 2005, when the Terrapins won 14 straight matches to start the year.
“I was impressed with the way the team was able to fight back,” head coach Steve Aird said. “Texas Tech is a solid, well-coached team. I was proud of the way our girls rebounded from the second set to win the match.”
Senior outside hitter Adreené Elliott posted 10 kills as six Terps notched five or more kills against Texas Tech. Senior outside hitter Emily Fraik led the team with four blocks while middle blockers Ashlyn MacGregor and Kelsey Hrebenach each had three.
The Raiders and Terps stayed close to start the match. Twilley tallied three straight kills to put Maryland up, 10-8, but the teams tied at 15. Texas Tech took a timeout after a service ace from Amy Dion gave the Terps a two-point advantage, and a solo block from Twilley put Maryland up, 22-18, and the Raiders took another break. After a Raider attack error, MacGregor served an ace to win the Terps the first set, 25-20.
After tying 3-3 early, the Raiders used eight of nine points to build a 10-4 lead. The Raiders were able to capitalize on Maryland errors to take a 20-10 lead. Elliott and Fraik recorded late kills, but Texas Tech was able to tie the match with a 25-14 set win.
Despite the Raiders carrying momentum into the third set, the Terps were able to turn the match around. After tying the set at seven, Maryland used four straight points to take the lead back. A bad set allowed Texas Tech to come within one point, but kills from Murray and MacGregor and two straight Dion service aces put the Terps ahead, 18-13. The Raiders again pulled within one, but late kills from Twilley and Kelsey Hrebenach and a service error from Texas Tech gave Maryland the 25-22 set win.
The Raiders started the fourth set with a 4-0 run before the Terps used a 4-0 run to tie the game. Kills from Elliott, Fraik and Hrebenach pushed Maryland ahead, 10-6. The Terps managed to hold the team as MacGregor served an ace to put Maryland at 22-15. The Terrapins notched three straight points to close the match with a 25-16 set win.
Freshman Abigail Bentz led the team with 24 assists while junior Carlotta Oggioni dished out 20 assists. Dion led the match with three service aces. The Terps posed seven aces while allowing just one from the Raiders.
Maryland notched a season-high five solo blocks, including two each from Twilley and Hrebenach.
The Terps face George Washington (4-3) and Navy (2-5) on the second day of the Kristen Dickmann Invitational Saturday. Maryland takes on the Colonials at 11 a.m. and the Mids at 4 p.m.
-Maryland-
