Maryland women’s volleyball suffered a difficult 3-2 road loss against Rutgers on Friday night, a defeat that significantly impacted the team’s postseason outlook.
The Terrapins, who entered the match struggling with a 3-12 conference record, were “outlasted by Rutgers in five-set loss” according to Yahoo Sports.
Despite Maryland recording more kills than the Scarlet Knights by a 72-64 margin, the team ultimately lost 31 points due to attacking errors.
Freshman Brooklynne Brass provided an early spark for the Terps, helping the squad secure the opening frame with a 26-24 victory.
However, Rutgers responded by winning the second and third sets, both with scores of 25-22, while Maryland struggled with service errors.
Maryland managed to force a fifth set after taking the fourth frame 25-20, aided by a mid-set scoring run.
The final set remained competitive until the end, but Rutgers outside hitter Karis Willow helped seal the win for the home team with a 15-13 finish.
The match highlighted ongoing issues for Maryland, as attacking errors in tight sets have been a primary hurdle throughout the season.
Freshman outside hitter Brown served as an offensive bright spot for the Terps, contributing a career-high 20 kills during the contest.
The outlets reported that both teams combined for 16 service errors, emphasizing how crucial every point became in such a closely contested game.
Following this loss, Maryland has dropped to 16th place in the conference standings.
The team remains winless on the road in Big Ten play with only one regular season match remaining against Ohio State.
This upcoming performance will determine whether the Terrapins can secure a spot in the Big Ten tournament.
The program is currently looking to rebound after a clean sweep defeat against Penn State earlier in the week.
The coaching staff and players must now focus on the final match of the season to keep their postseason hopes alive.