Iowa volleyball fell to Maryland, 3-1, inside Xtream Arena on Thursday. The Terrapins lead the all-time series versus the Hawkeyes, 8-6. 

Iowa is now 1-10 in conference play and  7-15 overall.

“We practiced really well all week, and we didn’t look nearly like the team we were this week, today,” Hawkeye first-year head coach Jim Barnes said. “It’s just unfortunate because this is a match we should win.”

How it happened

The first set started in favor of Maryland as the Terrapins jumped out to a 10-6 lead.  Kills by Hawkeye sophomore outside hitter Michelle Urquhart and senior middle hitter Amiya Jones cut the Terrapins’ lead to one, but the Hawkeyes couldn’t battle all the way back. Maryland took the first set, 25-18, on a service ace by senior defensive specialist Lexy Finnerty.  

The Hawkeyes were down, 6-4, in the second set, but blocks by setter Lily Tessier, outside hitter Addie VanderWeide, and Jones gave Iowa the lead, 7-6. The Hawkeyes went up by four after two kills by Urquhart, forcing a Terrapin timeout. 

Out of the timeout, Iowa kept its foot on the gas, as a kill by middle hitter Delaney McSweeney sealed the second set for the Hawkeyes, 25-16.  Iowa hit .448 in the second set while holding Maryland to a .192 hitting efficiency. 

McSweeney led the Iowa offense hitting .611 with 11 kills and zero errors. 

“I got lucky enough tonight to have a good game, but what I think is more important is that we all play together,” McSweeney said. “We can’t play as six or seven individuals on the court and expect to win.” 

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Maryland took control from the start of the third set. The Hawkeyes had a late surge of four consecutive points led by VanderWeide and Urquhart, but the Terrapins took the third set, 25-18. 

The fourth set was knotted at four before Iowa went on a 8-1 run, taking a 12-5 lead. The Terrapins crept their way back as they got within two, forcing a Hawkeye timeout. Iowa was the first to 20 points, but Maryland ended the fourth set on a 8-3 run, winning 25-23. 

Jones, VanderWeide, and Urquhart had 11, 13, and 14 kills, respectively. Setter Lily Tessier registered six kills on .556 hitting and 31 assists. Iowa recorded 59 kills to Maryland’s 48, but the Hawkeyes had 10 more attacking errors and struggled in the serve-receive game.

Maryland ranks first in the Big Ten with 3.45 blocks per set and had 13 blocks over the match. Middle blocker Anastasia Russ, who ranks fourth in the conference with 1.50 blocks per set, recorded eight blocks. 

Terrapin libero Milan Gomillion, who sits at fifth in the conference in total digs with 286, led both defenses with 18 digs. Hawkeye libero Mari Hinkle, who ranks second in the Big Ten with 4.21 digs per set, tallied 16 digs. 

What’s next?

Iowa travels to Evanston, Illinois, on Sunday to face Northwestern. The match is set for 1 p.m. and will be streamed on BTN+. 

“We have to play like we practice,” Barnes said. “We have to pass well against [Northwestern]  in order to have a chance.”