Box Score WASHINGTON, DC —  With its highest hitting percentage since at least 2018, the University of Maryland volleyball team (7-2) wrapped up an undefeated weekend in the DMV by taking down Howard in a 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-15) sweep over the Bison (3-5) Sunday afternoon at Burr Gymnasium in Washington DC.

The Terps swung for a .438 hitting clip in the three-set victory, surpassing its best hitting percentage in the Adam Hughes era originally set against Kennesaw State in 2019. Sam Csire led the team in kills for the third time in as many games this weekend, finishing with an efficient nine putaways on 15 attacks. Eva Rohrbach finished with eight kills while Laila Ricks added seven. 

The Terps shined offensively as a team yet again, finishing with an impressive .419 hitting percentage. They also racked up eight service aces, led by a career-best five from Lilly Gunter. 

The sweep was Maryland's second in a row after beating Princeton in straight sets yesterday. 

How It Happened

Set 1: Maryland 25 - Howard 17

• After a hot start from the Bison, Maryland utilized a 5-0 run early in the opening set to take control. The run was capped by a Lilly Gunter service ace to put Maryland up 11-9..
• The Terps gained further separation as the set progressed with a 5-1 run bolstered by a pair of Laila Ivey kills to give Maryland.
• Kills from Eva Rohrbach and Sam Csire on consecutive rallies closed the set in favor of the Terps.
• Maryland hit .423 in the frame with 14 kills against just three attack errors.
• The middle blockers did the heavy lifting offensively, as Rohrbach and Russ combined for seven finishes in the frame.

Set 2: Maryland 25 - Howard 20

• Maryland jumped out to an early lead, dropping three unanswered points to open the set with kills from Sam Csire and Eva Rohrbach, along with a Lilly Gunter service ace.
• After trailing 8-4, Howard rallied for a 5-0 run strengthened by a trio of kills from Rya McKinnon to take an 11-9 advantage.
• Once Maryland leveled the frame at 12 apiece, the Terps and Bison traded the next six points until a pair of Rohrbach kills forced a Howard timeout with Maryland up 17-15.
• The Bison threatened to even the set at 20 all, but Gunter's fourth service ace of the match and a block assist from Csire and Ellie Watson put the advantage at 23-19.
• A kill from Csire put the Terps up two sets to none.
• The Terps hit .400 for a second straight set, once again committing just three attack errors.

Set 3: Maryland 25 - Howard 15

• After a back-and-forth opening, the Terps stormed out to a 5-0 run to make it a 15-11 stanza. 
• Erin Engel notched a service ace to force a Howard timeout at 19-14.
• Maryland scored the last six points of the frame to finish with a decisive 10-point victory. Dowler notched another Terp service ace as part of the run.
• The Terps hit an even .500 on the set, recording 13 kills against just two attack errors.
• Four of Maryland's points in the set came via service ace.

Numbers to Know

• .438: The Terps hit .438 for their best hitting percentage in over five years. This is the second time in which Maryland has hit over .400 this year.
• 4: Maryland notched its fourth sweep victory of 2023.
• 5: Lilly Gunter set a new career high with five service aces.
• 33: In just three sets, Sydney Dowler dished out 33 assists, as she improved her season assists per set average to 10.40.
• 986: With a team-leading nine kills, Sam Csire draws closer to 1,000 career kills with her collegiate total now at 986.

Up Next

• Maryland begins its final non-conference weekend at the Hilton Garden Inn FGCU Classic in Fort Myers, FL, where the Terps start out the weekend against Le Moyne Friday at 4 p.m.