#21 Michigan State
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Maryland
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Freshman outside hitter Gia Milana posted a career-high 21 kills as the Maryland volleyball team dropped to No. 21 Michigan State in four sets on Saturday evening. The Spartans (15-3, 4-2 Big Ten) defeated the Terps (8-10, 0-6) by set scores of 25-16, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17.
“I'm happy with the fight this team showed tonight,” head coach Steve Aird said. “Michigan State played pretty physically, and they're a tough serving team, but I think we were able to hang with them. We're showing a lot of growth, and this team keeps learning in every match. The Big Ten is unrelenting, but we'll keep working as we continue.”
Milana, a Michigan native, added 11 digs to notch her sixth career double-double and second straight. Sophomore libero Kelsey Wicinski led the match with 13 digs. Junior middle blocker Hailey Murray led the team with three blocks.
Freshman setter Taylor Smith made 35 assists and added six digs and three service aces. Junior defensive specialist Samantha Higginbothem also served three aces.
This is the third straight match that Maryland has taken at least one set off a ranked opponent. The match featured 25 ties and nine lead changes.
Michigan State came into Saturday leading the Big Ten with 2.86 service aces per set. The Terps allowed just six Spartan aces while posting seven Maryland aces.
The Terrapins started the match on a 4-1 run before the Spartans used a 6-1 run to take a 7-6 lead. Michigan State gave Maryland points on service and attacking errors, but the Spartans were able to push ahead, 20-14. Milana posted her fourth kill, but MSU closed the set on a 5-1 run, 25-16.
The Terps hit .314 in the second set and posted four service aces as Maryland won the second set, 25-22. Murray and Smith combined for a block as Maryland took a 6-4 lead. Smith served back-to-back aces as the Terps continued to lead, 9-8, but MSU came back to take a 12-11 advantage. The teams continued to trade the lead in the middle of the set before a Milana kill and an Ashlyn MacGregor-Angel Gaskin block put the Terps ahead, 19-17. Milana and Liz Twilley notched late kills, and one more MIlana kill gave Maryland the set win.
The teams played closely coming out of the break before the Spartans forced a Maryland timeout at 12-7. HIgginbothem served as ace as the Terps pulled within three, 16-13. Smith followed a service ace with a kill as the Terrapins stayed within three, 19-16. Michigan State used three blocks to pull ahead, 22-17. MSU errors helped keep the Terrapins in the set, but the Spartans were able to close it, 25-20.
The teams once again traded leads in the fourth as the Terps fought to tie the match. Maryland worked to a 16-13 lead off kills from Twilley and Milana and another strong serving run by Smith. The Spartans used a 12-1 run to finish the match with a 25-17 set win.
The Terps return to College Park to host Iowa on Friday at 6 p.m. The teams will compete on the XFINITY Center Main Court prior to the basketball programs' Maryland Madness.
-Maryland-
