RALEIGH, N.C. – Junior outside hitter Erika Pritchard posted a combined 37 kills and 20 digs on the day as the Maryland volleyball team won a pair of matches over Austin Peay and Kansas State on Saturday to finish the Wolfpack Invitational 2-0.
"It's a great day for the program," head coach Adam Hughes said. "We're going to enjoy this one. I thought this was a good win for us. N.C. State beat Kansas State earlier but that was an away match with a good crowd, this was a neutral site, and I thought Kansas State played pretty well. Obviously to find a way to win a five-gamer, last preseason I think we were 0-3 in five-gamers, so we know if we're going to do anything fun, we're going to have to be winning those matches."
Redshirt junior middle blocker Katie Myers notched 16 kills and 10 blocks, freshman outside hitter Rebekah Rath tallied 15 kills, and senior setter Samantha Snyder served seven aces to lead the Terps to an undefeated Wolfpack Invitational performance to open the 2019 season.
AUSTIN PEAY
The Terps won their eighth-consecutive season-opener and took down Austin Peay in straight sets, the team's first three-set win since sweeping Ohio State on Nov. 10, 2018. Maryland limited the Governors to just a .122 hitting percentage, while beating them 25-20, 25-19, and 25-15.
Pritchard paced the Terps with 12 kills, while Snyder led the Terps in aces (3) and assists (16). Allegra Rivas had 20 digs while Myers had 5 blocks in the Terps' season opener.
Myers hit at a .429 clip, while Pritchard (.392) and Rainelle Jones (.320) followed.
KANSAS STATE
Maryland won its first five-set match of the season in the battle of the last four out, as Maryland and K State were two of the four "last four out" of the NCAA tournament last season. Erika Pritchard was dominant from the onset, recording 15 kills through two sets and finishing the match with 25, six short of her career-high.
Senior setter Samantha Snyder served four aces, one short of her career-high, and led the team with 29 assists, While Katie Myers led the team in blocks (5) and Allegra Rivas led the team in digs with 17.
Kansas State won the first set and dealt the Terps their first set loss of the season, but Maryland bounced back and won the highly contested second and third sets.
The Wildcats easily won the fourth set, but Maryland came out in force in the fifth set getting off to a 8-0 start. Kansas State didn't go down without a fight however and clawed their way back to within five points, before a Katie Myers kill gave the Terps their second win of the season.
UP NEXT
Maryland plays Howard in its home opener on Monday, September 2 at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
