Maryland volleyball swept convincingly by No. 2 Wisconsin

On the heels of consecutive defeats, Maryland volleyball returned home to a sold-out XFINITY Center Pavilion. Unfortunately for the Terps, the raucous crowd couldn’t help them against No. 2 Wisconsin, as it was handily defeated, 3-0 (10-25, 21-25, 9-25).

Wisconsin played a near-perfect game against the Terps. It committed just one attack error compared to Maryland’s 23 in a true display of efficiency.

Wisconsin also recorded an astonishing .500 hitting percentage, while Maryland slashed a lackluster .037 mark. The Badgers recorded 14 more kills than the Terps on 27 fewer total attacks.

Wisconsin came out of the gates with a head full of steam. A kill from senior middle blocker Devyn Robinson started the Badgers off on the right foot and they did not look back.

The Badgers’ lead grew to 10-0, behind a kill, solo block and a block assist from sophomore middle blocker Carter Booth. The Terps recorded a -.417 hitting percentage through the first 10 points, with five attack errors.

Senior outside hitter Sam Csire recorded a set-high five kills, but it was all for naught as Maryland struggled to find its footing.

The Terps went down 20-2 in the opener before eventually dropping the set, 25-10.

Wisconsin finished the first set with just four more kills than the Terps, but recorded an astonishing .688 hitting percentage to Maryland’s -.067. The Terps committed nine attack errors.

The second set started just like the first. Kills from Booth and Robinson, coupled with a pair of Maryland attack errors, put the Badgers up 5-0 early. Csire continued to give her best effort in vain as she recorded another two kills. Csire had six of Maryland’s eight kills at that point.

Down 8-2. Maryland began a strong comeback attempt to draw within striking distance, 12-8.

But the Badgers pushed back, securing seven of the next 10 points before another Terps timeout.

The Terps ripped off a late 4-0 run late, catapulted by kills from junior outside hitter Erin Morrissey and senior middle blocker Anastasia Russ, but Faklin took over for Wisconsin as the Badgers prevailed, 25-21.

Wisconsin continued its pure dominance in the third set. Three more kills from Robinson put her at nine for the evening as Wisconsin drew a 9-1 lead early, looking for its second sweep against the Terps this season.

Csire recorded five of the Terps six kills in the set, as Maryland dropped set three, 25-6.

Three things to know

1. Near perfection for the Badgers. Wisconsin committed just one attack error against the Terps in the three-set victory. Wisconsin came into the contest as the top team in the country in terms of hitting percentage (.313) and slashed a .500 line compared to Maryland’s .037.

2. Csire was the lone bright spot. With the rest of the offense unable to contribute anything, Csire shined. The senior recorded 15 kills, which was her most since Oct. 6, to lead both sides.

3. Without a block. A team that has prided itself on blocking in recent years, Maryland did not record a single solo block and just a pair of block assists against the Badgers.