COLLEGE PARK, MD – The Terps (12-0) finished off their sweep of the Maryland Challenge by taking down the Columbia Lions on Saturday night with yet another 3-0 win on the season, bringing their streak of set wins to 20 in a row. 

The first set was a match of runs as both Maryland and Columbia went back and forth with no one able to grab control for long. The Terps took advantage of eight attack errors from the Lions and also used three big kills by Laila Ricks to secure the first set, 25-21. 

Maryland started off much faster in the second set by getting out to a quick 6-2 lead. The Lions would hang but were once again handcuffed by eight more errors. That coupled with the kills and an ace in the frame by Paula Neciporuka was too much for the Ivy Leaguers to overcome as the Terps took the set by a score of 25-18.

Maryland's size and power proved to be too much for the Lions as the trio of Ricks, Sam Csire and Rainelle Jones were just too much to overcome. An ace by Kaylee Thomas, high-effort digs by Milan Gomillion and a highlight reel level kill by Sydney Dowler got the hometown crowd on their feet as the Terps went on a 7-2 run to win the set, 25-22, and earn another sweep before heading into conference play. 


Staying Undefeated

• The Terps improved to 12-0 on the season, continuing the best start under Head Coach Adam Hughes. It's the program's best start since an 14-0 beginning back in 2005. 
• Overall the team has won 36 out of a total 39 sets this season with 23 consecutive set victories dating back to the fourth set of the Temple match on Friday, September 3, 2021.

 
Historic Set Dominance

• Maryland has now won 20 consecutive sets which is only the third time in program history that the team has reached that mark. 
• The last time a Terps team won at least 20 straight sets came in 1973 when they won 26 consecutive sets. 

Dowler Power

• Sydney Dowler proved that she's more than just an assist machine as she finished with four kills, four digs and four blocks to go along with her team-high 24 assists.
• Dowler now has 431 assists on the season, the most on the team. 

Up Next

• Maryland will start their conference schedule on Friday evening when the No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers visit the Xfinity Center Pavilion.