For a moment yesterday, it looked as if the Terrapins volleyball team would walk away from the weekend with two conference victories under its belt. Then, in a matter of points, that hope slipped away.
Holding a 2-0 set lead over Virginia Tech with a 21-21 tie in the third frame, the Terps dropped the set, lost control of the match and squandered a chance at a three-match conference winning streak. It also put a damper on the results of their earlier match against Virginia, a five-set comeback victory Friday.
"It was pretty disappointing," coach Tim Horsmon said. "Being up 2-0, and having an opportunity to put it away at home, it's very disappointing that we couldn't take care of business."
Although the weekend ended on a sour note, career highs and comebacks abounded when the Terps (9-8, 3-2 ACC) faced Virginia (6-9, 0-5). Setter Remy McBain achieved her third career triple-double, tallying 11 kills, 21 digs and 55 assists — just one shy away from tying her career mark. ACC Freshman of the Week Adreene Elliott contributed 17 kills and a 43.3 hitting percentage. Outside hitter Mary Cushman, quickly becoming the attacking leader of the Terps, notched 18 kills, a career high, and 14 digs.
After trailing 2-1 after the third set, the Terps rallied in each of the final two sets. Down 20-16 in the fourth set, they used a sudden offensive barrage to knot the score at 21. The Terps fell behind again, 23-22, but recovered with a kill, service ace and block to tie the match. In the fifth and decisive set, the Terps trailed by five early before going on a run that the Cavaliers couldn't recover from, scoring eight of the final nine points to finish the match.
The differences in the team's resolve became apparent in the Terps' loss to Virginia Tech. Instead of trailing, the Terps took a commanding 2-0 set lead, including a second-set rally after they faced a 24-20 deficit.
But the third set proved to be the one that turned the tide in the Hokies' favor. With the score deadlocked at 21-21 and the Terps as close as four points away from a three-match winning streak in ACC play, the Hokies made a run to take the set, 25-22. The Hokies used similar runs in the last two sets to stun the Terps with a 3-2 win.
Their strong team-wide play helped key the comeback. Virginia Tech had 13 blocks in the match, along with a solid 27.2 team hitting percentage.
"We didn't deserve it," Horsmon said. "We didn't play hard, we didn't match their intensity, and we didn't execute. We obviously need to do a better job at those things, and we need to make those plays."
Despite the team's breakdown, some individual performances stood out. McBain tallied 46 assists, along with seven kills and nine digs. The junior had 101 combined assists over the span of the two matches, moving her closer to becoming fifth all time in school history. Cushman achieved her second double-double on the weekend after earning 16 kills and 17 digs against the Hokies, and Elliott continued her strong play with 12 kills.
It just wasn't enough for a second win in as many matches.
"Our kids competed throughout that match against Virginia, and we never gave up," he said. "We looked tired against Virginia Tech and came in ill-prepared to play. While Virginia gave us opportunities late, Virginia Tech got better through the match. They just had a will to win, while we were hoping to win but didn't earn it."
munson@umdbk.com
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