Box Score ANNAPOLIS, MD — The University of Maryland volleyball team extended its winning streak to three matches, recovering from an opening set defeat to beat Utah Valley, 3-1 (20-25, 25-22, 25-8, 27-25), Saturday afternoon at the Wesley A. Brown Field House in Annapolis, Md. The Terps are now 4-1 overall in 2023. 

The match featured a milestone event for senior setter Sydney Dowler, who became the sixth player in Maryland volleyball history to reach 2,500 career assists. She finished the contest with 45 helpers, as she has started the campaign with at least 30 assists in each of the Terps' five matches. The history-making assist was part of a complete effort from Dowler, as she finished one dig short of a double-double, as she picked up nine digs and tied for the team lead with five blocks.

Dowler fed a balanced offensive attack which had four Terps finish with double-digit kills, led by Sam Csire's 16 kills.Carried by a blistering .765 hitting percentage in the third set, Maryland notched its fifth consecutive outing of hitting .250 or higher to start the season. Every Terp finished the match with a positive hitting clip.

How It Happened

Set 1: Utah Valley 25 - Maryland 20

• After the Terrapins and Wolverines couldn't get more than a one-point lead through the early part of the set, Utah Valley created separation with a 5-1 run, making it an 11-8 contest with a pair of Kendra Nock blocks and Hailey Cuff kills.
• Maryland pulled the frame to within a point at 13-12, but the Wolverines responded with a 7-1 run to create a 20-13 advantage for their largest advantage of the frame.
• Three consecutive Maryland kills at set point drew the Terps closer, but a Tori Ellis kill clinched the opening set for the Wolverines.
• Sydney Dowler accumulated 12 assists on the set while Samantha Schnitta picked up four kills.
• Utah Valley hit .310 in the stanza while collecting five blocks.

Set 2: Maryland 25 - Utah Valley 22

• After Maryland collected the first two points of the set, Utah Valley ripped off a 5-0 rally to take an early 5-2 edge.
• On the back of four kills from Eva Rohrbach, Laila Ivey and Sam Csire the Terps conducted a 7-2 run to pull them in front, 9-7.
• The two squads battled back and forth, with the Wolverines knotting the frame at 11 all, but a 4-0 streak featuring kills from Csire and Samantha Schnitta forced a Utah Valley timeout with the Terps up 15-11. 
• Out of the timeout, Utah Valley put the Terps on their heels with an 8-3 scoring run, taking a 19-18 edge on a Hailey Cuff kill.
• Maryland utilized a timeout and came out firing as a 6-0 run headlined by kills from Rohrbach, Schnitta and Ivey put the Terps on the brink of set victory.
• Utah Valley fought off a trio of set points, but Rohrbach's fourth kill of the frame ended the comeback attempt.
• The Terps improved their hitting percentage in the second set, hitting .204 with 12 kills.
• With three blocks, Maryland limited the Wolverines to just a .143 hitting percentage.

Set 3: Maryland 25 - Utah Valley 8

• A pair of kills from both Sam Csire and Sydney Dowler opened up a torrid start for the Terps in the third frame, putting Maryland up 6-2 early.
• Three consecutive service aces from Csire kept Maryland rolling to a 12-4 set advantage.
• The offense was locked in throughout the set, committing zero attack errors en route to a .765 hitting percentage with 13 kills.
• From the backline, Maryland shined with seven service aces in the frame, with three from Csire and a pair from Erin Engel.

Set 4: Maryland 27 - Utah Valley 25

• Neither the Terrapins or the Wolverines led by more than two points through the first 15 of the fourth set. 
• Maryland finally pulled ahead by four points, 21-17, thanks to two kills by Laila Ivey, a block by Sam Csire and Anastasia Russ and a service error by the Wolverines. 
• Utah Valley rattled off six straight points to take a 23-21 lead.
• A kill by Eva Rohrbach tied the match at 24 all, then the Wolverines' Avery Shewel put them at set point with a kill to make it 25-24.
• A kill by Csire tied the match at 25, then a kill from Ivey put Maryland at match point at 26-25. 
• A service ace by Csire sealed the victory for the Terrapins. 

Numbers to Know 

• .765: The Terps dominated the third set with a .765 hitting percentage (13k, 0e, 17a)
• 2: Saturday's win marks the second win of the season where Maryland took the victory after dropping the first set, with the first coming in the season opener against FIU on August 25.
• 4: Four Terps — Sam Csire, Laila Ivey, Eva Rohrbach and Samantha Schnitta — racked up double-digit kills.
• 5: Sam Csire set a career high with five service aces in the contest. It is the second time she's hit that mark this season.
• 30: Sydney Dowler notched 45 helpers in the contest, marking her fifth consecutive outing with at least 30 assists this season.
• 943: Sam Csire continued her push for 1,000 career kills on Saturday, adding 16 to put her collegiate total at 943.
• 2,500: By handing out an assist to Sam Csire in the fourth set, Sydney Dowler picked up her 2,500th career assist. Her career total now sits at 2,513.

Up Next

• The Terps close out the Kristen Dickmann Invitational with a Sunday afternoon showdown with tournament host Navy. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m., and the action will be streamed on ESPN+.