COLLEGE PARK, MD – Maryland volleyball fell to No. 16 USC in consecutive sets (15-25, 17-25, 23-25) on Friday at the Xfinity Center Pavilion. The Terps are now 10-8 overall and 1-6 Big Ten play.
The Trojans took the first set despite a 5-1 run that put the Terps within striking distance. The second set was more competitive, beginning with a back-and-forth battle featuring five kills for Maryland's first five points. The Terps even staged a late-set rally to pull back within four of USC, but they couldn't hold on to take the second frame. Maryland left it all on the floor in the third set, matching the Trojans through 22 points.
Sam Csire led the Terps with 10 kills, three digs and one block.
Samantha Schnitta added five kills, four digs and two aces. She now has 55 service aces on the year, ranking first in the NCAA.
Sydney Bryant (six kills and three digs) and
Eva Rohrbach (five kills) added solid performances.
The Trojans improved to 13-4 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The match was the first between each team since Southern California joined the Big Ten this season.
Breaking Down The Action
Set 1: USC 25 - Maryland 15
- USC began set one on a 7-1 run before Samantha Schnitta recorded her first kill of the match.
- A kill by Sam Csire cut the lead to 9-4.
- A Sydney Bryant initiated a 5-1 run that put the Terps within six points of the Trojans at 19-13. Csire had another kill, and Jonna Sphon notched a service ace during this stretch.
Set 2: USC 25 - Maryland 17
- Csire opened the second set with a kill and tacked on two more before Sydney Dowler and Eva Rohrbach tallied kills each, powering the Terps to battle back-and-forth with the Trojans for the first five points.
- USC pulled ahead 10-6, but the Terps brought themselves within two points with an Anastasia Russ kill and another Spohn service ace.
- Schnitta delivered her signature service ace for Maryland's 11th point of the set.
- The Terps put up a 4-0 rally featuring kills from Schnitta and Bryant to claw back within four points of the Trojans.
Set 3: USC 25 - Maryland 23
- The third set was the tightest of the match as the teams traded points all the way to Maryland's 19-18 lead.
- Maryland stayed competitive with more kills from Russ, Schnitta, Rohrbach and Bryant. Dowler and Schnitta also each had service aces.
- The Terps went on a 3-0 run to go up 21-20, including kills from Csire and Bryant.
- The teams went back-and-forth again, as a Schnitta kill tied it at 22 apiece.
- A 3-0 run to close out the set gave USC the slight edge they needed to claim the third set and win the match.
Numbers To Know
- 1: Samantha Schnitta is the nation's leader in service aces with 55.
- 3: Sydney Dowler ranks third all-time in assists for Maryland. She now has 3710 assists.
- 7: Sam Csire is tied for seventh in program history with 1342 career kills.
- 10: Entering the contest, Maryland ranked 10th nationally in aces per set.
- 69: Csire has 69 games with 10 or more kills in her career.
Up Next
- The Terps will travel to Urbana-Champaign, Ill., to take on Illinois on Sunday. The match is set to begin at 2 p.m. and will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
