COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Sophomore libero Kelsey Wicinski served a career-high six aces and three Terps posted double-digit kills as the Maryland volleyball team (8-8, 0-4 B1G) challenged No. 24 Illinois (10-5, 3-1) in five sets on Sunday afternoon. The Terrapins fell by set scores of 18-25, 25-22, 28-30, 25-23, 14-16.
 
“This was a tough loss but we played hard,” head coach Steve Aird said. “I am proud of how we fought. We had a window to win, and in this conference, you have to capitalize on that. We will keep working and battling.”
 
Wicinski also tied for match lead with 18 digs and had no reception errors. Freshman outside hitter Gia Milana led the Terps with 16 kills while sophomore outside hitter Liz Twilley posted 15. Senior middle blocker Ashlyn MacGregor notched 13 kills on a .462 clip while leading the team with five blocks.
 
The match featured 39 ties and 20 lead changes. Junior defensive specialist Samantha Higginbothem set career highs with 15 digs and three service aces.
 
MacGregor served an ace and Milana tallied two kills as Maryland jumped to an 8-4 lead in set one. The Illini tied the set with two straight blocks at 11-11 and took a 15-14 lead. Illinois pushed ahead, 19-15. Twilley hit a kill before combining on a block with MacGregor to pull within two, 19-17. The Illini hit three straight kills before MacGregor hit one of her own down 23-18. Illinois closed the set with two straight points, 25-18.
 
Milana posted a pair of kills before Illinois went on a 5-0 run to take an 8-6 lead in set two. Junior Hailey Murray and freshman Taylor Smith combined for a block before Twilley posted a solo block to give Maryland a 9-8 lead. Wicinski served three straight aces to force an Illinois timeout at 13-9. Maryland continued to push ahead with the lead, taking a 21-17 advantage after two kills from Smith. Milana posted Maryland's last two kills as the Terps took the set, 25-22.
 
The Illini took an early lead in set three before kills from Twilley and MacGregor and a Smith-MacGregor block pulled Maryland within one, 15-14. Wicinski notched a service ace to tie the set, and the teams tied a few times before the Illini took a 22-20 lead. The Terps notched the next two points to tie again, and Maryland reached set point at 24-22 on a Milana kill. The Terrapins were at set point three more times before Illinois put together three straight points to take the game, 30-28.
 
After a MacGregor kill, Higginbothem posted three straight aces as Maryland took a 4-0 lead in set four. The Illini pulled within one, 10-9, before taking an 11-9 lead. MacGregor posted a couple overpass kills and Milana notched kills as the teams continued to tie before a Wicinski service ace gave the Terps a 19-18 lead. The Terrapins and Illini continued to play closely before Maryland took set point at 24-21. Illinois extended the set twice before a kill from sophomore Angel Gaskin won the set, 25-23.
 
The Illini took a 5-2 lead in the fifth set but a Milana kill and a Murray-Smith block tied it, 6-6. MacGregor posted two straight kills before notching a block with Gaskin as the Terps took a 10-9 lead. MacGregor and Gaskin each posted kills as Maryland went ahead, 13-11, before the Illini came back to tie the set. The teams again tied at 14 before Illinois was able to get two points and win the match with a 16-14 fifth set.  
 
The Terps hit the road again to take on No. 22 Michigan on Friday at 7 p.m. and No. 18 Michigan State on Saturday at 8 p.m.