The Terps snapped a four-match losing streak.
After a heart-wrenching loss to Illinois on Friday night, and in need of a win, Maryland volleyball finally found some offensive consistency, taking down Iowa, 3-1 (25-16, 25-16, 17-25, 25-17).
The Terps’ 11 service aces tied their season-best and were the most Maryland produced in a Big Ten match. Senior libero Lilly Gunter set the tone early. The Mississippi State transfer recorded three service aces within the first seven points of the match en route to one of the best games of her career.
“I was just trying to make the ball move a little bit more this game,” Gunter said. “I wasn’t trying to put too much pace on it. I was just trying to be consistent back there.”
Looking to pull away in the opening set, the Terps were met with fierce opposition when Iowa freshman outside hitter Nataly Moravec recorded back-to-back aces to bring Iowa within one at 8-7.
But Maryland never trailed in the early window, surging on a 13-4 run to end the set. The Hawkeyes had no answer for senior pin hitter Samantha Schnitta, who recorded four kills in the set.
After a back-and-forth start to the second set, Maryland found its groove after Iowa tied it up at six. The Terps embarked on a 6-2 run that saw two more kills from Schnitta. Maryland had a number of impressive volley-extending digs with diving efforts from senior outside hitter Sam Csire, senior setter Sydney Dowler and Gunter.
Following an error by Csire, the Terps dug in, exploding on an 8-1 run with kills from four different players. Another service ace, this time from junior setter Erin Engel, capped off the 25-16 set victory.
Despite the Terps’ command of the set, Moravec was doing it all for Iowa. Her five kills were the most of any player in the set, and she tacked on another ace.
Errors, which plagued Maryland against Illinois, resurfaced in the third set. The Terps recorded six attack errors after just three in the first two sets combined.
Iowa ripped off 10 straight points to avoid the sweep and take the third set, 25-17. Fifth-year outside hitter Caitlan Buettner, who had been quiet all match, recorded four kills during the late run, including the final point.
But Maryland bounced back and put the match away in the fourth set. With one of the Terps’ greatest displays of passing all season, Schnitta had the final kill, finding the back left corner.
“I think it just gives us a lot of confidence, especially that I know we’ll probably go on runs just because we have really strong service,” Gunter said. “We have a strong back row and I know that they’re going to hustle for balls and give all-out effort.
Three things to know
1. Aces up Maryland’s sleeve. Maryland’s 11 service aces tied the most it has recorded in a match all season and was the most it has had against Big Ten opposition.
2. Schnitta’s resurgence. After a five-match streak of under 10 kills, Schnitta’s match-high 13 kills marked consecutive matches with double-digit kills.
3. Cutting back on errors. After a season-high 36 attack errors against Illinois, Maryland recorded 19 against Iowa and had just two service errors.