When middle blocker Rainelle Jones and outside hitter Emma Schriner leapt at the net late in the fourth set to block Purdue outside hitter Sheridan Atkinson, Jones pumped both fists as she celebrated with her teammates.
Entering Wednesday’s match against the No. 16 Boilermakers, coach Adam Hughes’ squad made a point of stopping the 6-foot-5 Atkinson, who is a major attacking presence for Purdue. The block gave Maryland a two-point lead in a frame it needed to win to extend the match to the deciding fifth set.
Throughout the contest, excitement such as Jones’ following the block held the Terps in the matchup. But after winning the first set in dominant fashion, Purdue rattled off three straight frame wins to drop the Terps, 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 23-25, 21-25), capped by a 7-1 scoring run after the block on Atkinson.
“I’m always proud that this team continues to battle,” Hughes said. “But we have to find a way to close things out.”
After the teams swapped points to start the match, the Terps (10-5, 1-2 Big Ten) exploded in the second half of the first set, going on a 14-6 run to take the first frame, 25-15.
“After the first set, all of us were really hyped up and we thought we were going to win it in three,” libero Allegra Rivas said.
In the second set, the Boilermakers (13-1, 2-1) jumped out with a 20-12 lead. The Terps, though, rattled off a 9-1 run, which included eight Maryland kills, to narrow the scoreline and force Purdue to call a timeout. But the Boilermakers managed to overcome the Terps’ late push to secure a 25-21 set win to level the match at one.
Neither team could establish a firm upper hand in the third frame, but the Boilermakers managed to withstand a late 10-4 run by Maryland to hold onto the set, 25-23.
Purdue’s attack was led by middle blocker Grace Cleveland. Coming off two consecutive matches with negative hitting percentages, Cleveland torched the Terps, tallying 15 kills and a .312 hitting percentage.
Entering the match, Maryland had keyed in on Atkinson as a key factor for the Boilermakers. The Terps managed to hold Atkinson in check early, allowing her just four kills and three blocks through two sets.
In the last two frames, Atkinson came alive, ending the match with 11 kills and five blocks despite attacking at a .104 clip.
For the eighth time in a row and the 14th time this season, Terps outside hitter Erika Pritchard registered double-digit kills, contributing 17 while adding 17 digs.
After laying out for a dig in the first set, she seemed to favor her right leg. She looked as if she would need to exit, but remained in the match without missing a point. Then, she compiled a double-double performance.
“I told her after the match I was extremely proud of her performance.” Hughes said. “That was a moment where she easily could have just pulled herself, but she came out and hit .300 and led us in kills. Hopefully that’s a moment of growing up.”
And while Jada Gardner remains sidelined through injury, Schriner posted a career-high nine kills.
Schriner was one of five Terps with five or more kills, which is an offensive balance Hughes said the Terps want to improve upon.
“When you can balance out your offense, it’s tough for people to know where the ball is going, which is what we’re trying to get to,” Hughes said.
