Penn State women’s volleyball stuns Maryland 3-1

posted November 3, 2022 in CommRadio, Sports by Adrianna Gallucci

The No. 15 Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Maryland Terrapins 3-1 on November 2 in Rec Hall.

Penn State improved to 18-6 overall and 7-6 in Big Ten conference play. Maryland is now 13-12 overall and 4-9 in the Big Ten.

Penn State took the first two sets 25-21 and 25-20, and Maryland took the third 25-21. In the fourth set, Penn State came out on top, flipping the score 25-21 in its favor.

The Nittany Lions outscored the Terrapins in every category except for blocks (Maryland had 11; Penn State had nine). However, most of Maryland’s blocks were soft.

Not surprisingly, the stats from this game show that Maryland leads the nation in blocks with an average of 3.35 per set. Middle blocker Rainelle Jones is second in blocks per set in the country (1.63), but she did not start for the Terrapins. Penn State is tenth, averaging 2.77 per set.

Middle blocker Allie Holland led the team for the game in kills with 14, followed by Katie Clark (13) and Zoe Weatherington (12). Holland tied her season-high kill record with her previous Ohio State game, and she’s now hitting .344. Additionally, she also led the team in blocks with seven.

Penn State as a team, hit .268 across four sets, while Maryland hit .252. Liberos Cassie Kuerschen and Gillian Grimes both tied for the lead in digs with 13, and Maddy Bilinovic (12) and Selesia Elisaia (10) followed behind them.

Bilinovic served up two aces, and Holland and Kuerschen both had one each. Elisaia had 52 assists, second behind her season-high 55, which she set at the last game against Maryland.

Outside hitter Sam Csire led Maryland in kills with 15, and Laila Ivey (11) and Gem Grimshaw (five) followed behind her.

Middle blocker Anastasia Russ’s seven blocks and Csire and Grimshaw’s three each bested Penn State 11-9.
Setter Sydney Dowler totaled 41 assists, leading the team in the category, and 12 digs for the Terrapins. She follows designated setter/libero Milon Gomillion, who led the team with 15.

Grimshaw and Csire both had one ace each.

Penn State is now 32-5-1 and has won 29 straight matches against Maryland. Additionally, it’s improved to 15-0 against Maryland at Rec Hall.

Penn State will meet Big Ten foe Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey, for its next match on November 6. Maryland will face the Iowa Hawkeyes at home on Nov. 6.

Adrianna Gallucci is a first-year student majoring in journalism. To contact her, please email amg7989@psu.edu.