COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Led by 20 kills from sophomore outside hitter Erika Pritchard and a strong defensive performance that featured 52 digs and a season-best 12 blocks, the Maryland volleyball team (14-10, 5-7 Big Ten) took down Iowa in straight sets (25-19, 25-22, 25-21).
 
"It was nice to play in front of our home fans today," said head coach Adam Hughes. "That was a good win for us. Iowa's a really good team. We found a way to work together and form a good game plan. I thought we blocked real well and played a good defensive match."
 
Freshman middle blocker Rainelle Jones tied her career-high with eight blocks as Maryland won the battle at the net, out-blocking Iowa 12-2, the Terps biggest differential of the season. The Terps 12 blocks on the day were the program's most ever in a three-set Big Ten match and the most in any three-set match since Maryland had 13 last season against Oklahoma (9/15/17).
 
Freshman libero Allegra Rivas also was key to the defensive effort with 18 digs at six per set. Pritchard had nine digs while sophomore setter Nicole Alford and sophomore outside hitter Hailey Rubino each had eight.
 
Offensively, Pritchard led the way with her 20 kills, more than half of Maryland's 39 team kills, while also tying a season-high with three service aces. Alford notched 32 assists. Maryland's two other outsides, senior Liz Twilley and freshman Emma Schriner took their chances, hitting efficiently at .385 for Schriner and .350 for Twilley.
 
The story of both the second and third sets were comebacks for Maryland, as the Terps trailed by as many as seven in each of the sets.
 
In the second, trailing 17-10, Maryland went on a 12-5 run led by three four kills by Pritchard and three blocks by Jones. Down 22-19, the Terps came back again, finishing the set on a 6-0 run. Jones, Pritchard and Schriner combined for three big blocks as Alford served out the set.
 
In the third, trailing 15-8, Maryland went on a 9-2 run to tie it up at 17 on a Pritchard service run. Schriner and Twilley each had two kills on the 9-2 spurt. Maryland closed the match hitting well, as kills from Schriner and Pritchard ended the set 25-21 and the match 3-0.
 
The first set didn't have the comeback theme as Maryland led throughout. Pritchard tallied eight kills while Rivas had six digs and Alford, Pritchard and redshirt freshman middle blocker Katie Myers each had an ace. The Terps were up as many as six and won by six, 25-19.
 
Four of Maryland's five Big Ten wins have come in straight-sets, giving the Terps the most three-set victories they've ever had in Big Ten play.
 
Now at 14-10 and 5-7 in Big Ten play, Maryland will host Northwestern and No. 6 Illinois next weekend, beginning with the Wildcats on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.