Box Score COLLEGE PARK, MD — The University of Maryland volleyball team took down their Big Ten foe the Ohio State Buckeyes in three sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-23), on Sunday afternoon at the XFINITY Center Pavilion.  

At 16-12 (6-10 B1G), the Terps secured a guaranteed .500 mark on the season, making it the first time the team has achieved three consecutive seasons of .500 or better since 2002-2005. The Buckeyes leave College Park at 10-16 (7-10 B1G). 

Fresh off of the fourth-largest attendance in the XFINITY Center Pavilion on Friday, the Terps played in front of another lively home crowd of 1,117 supporters, whose support undoubtedly influenced their road to victory. 

The match began with an exciting first period, featuring a late-frame comeback by the Terps. After being down 4-0 at the start, Maryland held on to a consistent Buckeyes squad across the entire frame, but couldn't take the lead until the 19th point. With a new sense of momentum, the Terps prevented Ohio State from retaking the advantage and ultimately pulled out the set one win. Senior outside hitter Sam Csire came up big multiple times during this set, including her explosive kill to secure the first set for Maryland. 

The second set was much closer throughout, as the teams battled through 12 lead changes. The third set ended in a nail biter, as Maryland staged a 7-1 set-securing run after being down 21-17. The team drew on their late-set success from the first and second frames and found an elevated degree of energy and execution in the third, enabling them to earn the three-set sweep. 

Erin Morrissey led the way on offense, finishing with a career-high 12 total kills. This was also the redshirt junior's first double-digit kill game of her career. 

Players, coaches, and fans donned purple shirts and ribbons in honor of Sunday's ALZtogether theme to raise awareness around Alzheimer's disease and dementia. 

How It Happened

Set 1: Maryland 25 - Ohio State 23

• Ohio State captured the first point of the match and took an early 4-0 lead before a costly service error cut off their streak and put the Terps on the board. 
• Maryland's Erin Morrissey followed up with a commanding kill for the Terps' second score. 
• Anastasia Russ delivered her first block of the match to pull the Terps within two at 9-7 during a back-and-forth stretch. 
• Ohio State extended their lead to four at 16-12, but Maryland persisted, as Eva Rohrbach and Sam Csire notched back-to-back points to put the Terps back within two.
• Also during this period, Maryand benefited from two successful coaches challenges that provided all-important points. 
• During a six-point run, Sam Csire executed an electric block to bring the Terps only one point behind the Buckeyes. Samantha Schnitta followed with a kill to put the teams even at 18. 
• Maryland benefited from consecutive Ohio State attack errors, putting them ahead 20-18 for their first lead of the match. 
• The Buckeyes wouldn't surrender without a fight though, forcing the Terps to hold their narrow lead by staying consistent on offense. Morrissey, Csire, and Sydney Dowler all recorded kills during the final stretch of the first set. 
• Csire secured the set in the Terps' favor with a back court kill that sent the Pavilion into a frenzy. 

Set 2: Maryland 25 - Ohio State 19

• Maryland prevented the Buckeyes' from taking an early lead in the second frame, and the teams traded scores until Ohio State had a three-score run to go up 7-5. 
• The Terps answered with a three-point streak of their own to retake the lead, featuring kills from Russ and Csire. 
• More back-and-forth play resumed between the Big Ten squads before Maryland pulled ahead to 17-15 during a 6-3 run. 
• The Buckeyes pulled back ahead at 17-18, but the Terps stormed back with a four-score run, which included a dominant block assist from Dowler. 
• A 7-1 run set up Maryland for match point, which the Terps secured on an Ohio State serving error. 

Set 3: Maryland 25 - Ohio State 23

• The third set began like the second set, with the squads trading points all the way into the double digit points. 
• Rohrbach recorded back-to-back block assists early on in the third set.
• Three-straight kills from Csire, Russ, and Morrissey pulled Maryland back even with Ohio State at 17. 
• The Buckeyes staged a rally directly afterwards to extend their lead to four. At 21-17, it looked to be an uphill battle for the Terps to come back and take the set.
• But the Maryland squad was able to regain the execution and poise they had achieved at other points in the match, storming back to deliver a 7-1 run and win the third set.

Numbers To Know

• 2: This is the second consecutive year the Terps have beaten the Ohio State Buckeyes. Maryland topped Ohio State 3-1 in 2022
• 5: Eva Rohrbach and Anastasia Russ both recorded five block assists in this game. 
• 12: Erin Morrissey had a career-high 12 kills in this game. This was also her first game with a double-digit kill total. 
• 16: With their 16th win of the season, he Terps clinched a guaranteed .500 mark on the season, the first time the team has achieved three consecutive seasons of .500 or better since 2002-2005. 
• 19: Lilly Gunter finished the match with 19 digs. 

Up Next

• The Terps head to Bloomington, IN this week to kick off their final road trip of the season, beginning with a matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday. First serve at Wilkinson Hall is set for 6 p.m., and the match will be streamed on B1G+.