#3 Wisconsin
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Maryland
MADISON, Wis. – The Maryland volleyball team challenged No. 3 Wisconsin in the third set, but ultimately fell to the Badgers in straight sets Saturday evening. Wisconsin won by set scores of 25-12, 25-18, 25-21.
“Credit to Wisconsin, they're a really good team,” head coach Steve Aird said. “I'm proud of the way this team fought hard in the third set and kept battling. We have a really young squad, and this was a huge learning lesson being thrown into Big Ten play with two of the top-ranked teams in the nation.”
Sophomore libero Kelsey Wicinski led the match with 17 digs and senior middle blocker Ashlyn MacGregor led the match with six blocks. Freshman outside hitter Gia Milana paced the Terps with nine kills.
All-American setter Lauren Carlini served four straight aces to help Wisconsin to a 7-1 lead in set one. MacGregor and Milana posted kills, but the Badgers forced a Maryland timeout at 18-8. Sophomores Angel Gaskin and Liz Twilley tried to kickstart the Terps' offense late in the set, but Wisconsin closed the set on a 4-1 run to win 25-12.
Maryland posted six blocks in the second set as the Terps challenged the Badgers more, holding the home team to a .086 hitting percentage. Milana posted a pair of kills as the teams tied early on before Wisconsin took a 10-6 lead. Junior middle blocker Hailey Murray combined with Gaskin and setter Whitney Craigo for a pair of blocks as the Terps trailed 17-11. Craigo served an ace after posting a block with MacGregor and Maryland pulled within 22-17 on a Wisconsin error. The Badgers closed the set 25-18 on a Terrapin error to take a 2-0 match lead.
Murray led Maryland with six kill on a .857 clip as the Terps battled with the Badgers. The Terrapins took their first lead of the match at 6-5 on a Twilley kill. Wisconsin went on a 5-0 run to retake the lead, 10-6. Gaskin and MacGregor notched a block to pull within two, 11-9. Kills from Murray and Milana helped the Terps pull closer, tying the set at 15-15. The Badgers began to pull away late, and Maryland called timeout at 22-18. Murray and Milana notched kills, but a 3-0 Badger run ended the set, 25-21.
The Terps travel to Iowa on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. match on BTN Plus.
-Maryland-
