COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland volleyball team totaled a season-best 15 blocks led by a combined 17 from redshirt freshman middle blocker Katie Myers and freshman outside hitter Emma Schriner in a 3-1 win over Northwestern (25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23) on Friday night.
 
"I didn't think it was a clean match by any means but in the Big Ten it's really important to get wins," said head coach Adam Hughes. "I'm happy we defended our home floor. Thought we got off to a decent start and then had a good response to get out to a good lead in the third to help us finish the match off."
 
The Terps 15 blocks are the most for the program in a Big Ten match since also totaling 15 against Ohio State two years ago (Oct. 26, 2016). Schriner's eight blocks were a career-high, eclipsing the five block match she had on Sunday against Iowa. In addition to Myers and Schriner, sophomore setter Nicole Alford and freshman middle blocker Rainelle Jones each had three blocks, tying a career-high for Alford.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Erika Pritchard led the match with 20 kills at five per set. Senior outside hitter Liz Twilley was right behind her with 13 kills on 37 swings. Alford averaged 12 kills per set, posting 48.
 
The Big Ten's leader in aces, Katie Myers, tied a career-best and tallied the most she ever had in a Big Ten match with five. Freshman libero Allegra Rivas notched 19 digs.
 
Each of the four sets were really close throughout. The largest lead either way throughout the whole match was six when Maryland led 12-6 in the third set. Three out of the four sets, Maryland finished the job winning crucial points in crunch time.
 
In the first set with the score tied 20-20, the Terps used a Prichard kill, Alfford kill and two Wildcat bad sets to take a 1-0 lead. In the fourth set with the score 22-21 Maryland, Pritchard got a kill before a bad Northwestern set got the Terps to match point. Jones ended it with a kill as Maryland took the match.
 
The Terps responded from the second set loss by going up 6-1 early in the third set. Northwestern came back to tie it at 15 but Maryland scored the next five points and controlled the set the rest of the way to take it 25-22.
 
Maryland now stands at 15-10 overall and 6-7 in the Big Ten, marking the best record the Terps have had through 13 games in conference since Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014.
 
The Terps will welcome back a bunch of program greats including newly inducted Maryland Athletics Hall of Famer Eden Kroeger Burks as they welcome No. 4 Illinois on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.