Liberty
0
3
Maryland
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Three Terrapins notched double-digit kills and the Maryland volleyball team (4-0) hit at a .362 clip to sweep Liberty (25-21, 25-15, 25-16) Friday evening.
The Terps' hitting percentage was the program's highest for a single match since Sept. 6, 2015. Maryland knocked down 19 kills on a .400 clip in the first set.
“We were able to get into a groove early offensively against a tough Liberty squad,” head coach Steve Aird said. “We knew it would be a test to go on the road with so many young players, and I think they took the challenge and played really well.”
Freshman outside hitter Erika Pritchard led the match with 13 kills while sophomore outside Gia Milana posted 12 and senior middle blocker Hailey Murray notched 10. The trio hit a combined .376 percentage.
Libero Kelsey Wicinski led the match with 23 digs while Milana and sophomore setter Taylor Smith each had 12.
Pritchard had three early kills as Maryland took a 7-3 lead in set one. The Flames tied the set, 8-8, and the teams traded points to get to 12-12. The Terps used an 8-0 run, including two kills and a block from Samantha Drechsel, to take a 20-12 lead. Milana notched a kill at 23-16 to force a Liberty timeout. The Flames got four straight points out of the timeout before Angel Gaskin broke the run to get to set point, 24-20. Murray finished the set with a kill, 25-21.
The Terps and Flames traded points to start the second set, getting to 9-9 before kills from Murray and Milana gave Maryland an 11-9 lead. Samantha Snyder served three aces in four points to get the Terps ahead 17-10. Murray knocked down a kill to put Maryland at set point, and Katie Myers notched another to get the Terps a 25-15 set win.
Wicinski had 12 digs in the third set as Maryland led for all but two points in the game. Five early kills put the Terps up 10-7 and a Pritchard ace pushed Maryland ahead 18-12. Gaskin and Milana posted solo blocks in the set and Murray tallied back-to-back kills to win the set, 25-16, and give Maryland its first sweep of the season.
The Terps compete in the second day of the Liberty Invitational on Saturday against Elon at 10 a.m. and vs. Furman at 4:30 p.m.
-Maryland-
