The Buckeyes celebrate after earning a point during their match against Maryland Friday at the Covelli Center. Ohio State fell to the Terrapins in four sets. Credit: Ohio State Athletics
The Terrapins’ dominant outside hitting game was the difference in their triumph over the Buckeyes.
Ohio State (11-14, 4-11 Big Ten) lost in a tightly contested four sets to the Maryland Terrapins (13-13, 4-11 Big Ten) Friday night at the Covelli Center.
The first set started back-and-forth, with the Buckeyes and the Maryland Terrapins trading points to tie the game at nine.
Head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg won a challenge to help the Buckeyes take a 15-13 lead going into the set’s media timeout, and after a Maryland 5-0 run, Oldenburg won a second challenge to get the set within one point of the at 18-17.
The Buckeyes earned a 23-22 lead with a kill from Middle blocker Rylee Rader, but Maryland went on a 3-0 run to close the first set 25-22.
Rader said she wanted her team to deliver aggressive hitting, but felt her Buckeyes faltered on defense in the process.
“We were talking and just wanted our hitters to go for it,” Rader said. “I think we were being a little bit timid and hitting the block a little bit, so then our coverage wasn’t there.
The Buckeyes couldn’t find any momentum in the second set, as Maryland clinched a wire-to-wire victory. The Terrapins led by as much as seven points on their way to a 25-18 set win.
Oldenburg said she felt the team could have been more aggressive at the net during the first two sets.
“I mean, just execution — it’s not that we wish we had done this differently, except keep the ball in play and then get a couple more blocks that I felt we were lined up on,” Oldenburg said. “We should have been pressing over better. Service pressure wasn’t as intense, and we got attacked by their service line and didn’t take the ball when we needed to.”
The Buckeyes started the third set strong, commanding a four-point lead, led by kills from Rader and Emily Londot.
A quick spike from Rader a few plays later helped the Buckeyes increase their lead to six at 14-8.
Maryland came back to tie the set at 18. However, a kill by setter Mia Tuman followed by a kill from Rader helped the Buckeyes increase their lead to five, with a score of 23-18.
After a Maryland attack error, libero Olivia Hasbrook got an ace to win the Buckeyes the third set 25-18.
Oldenburg said the team stayed patient throughout the third set, noting how important it was for her team to take care of the ball and limit turnovers.
“We’re relying on what we know and took care of the ball. It was when their left [outside hitter] returned to the server side. She got a little bit of [a] run and brought them back into that, getting it closer than we wanted to be,” Oldenburg said. “I liked that we stayed patient through that series and took the lead late in that third set to take it.”
Tuman said the team struggled to maintain momentum throughout the game, a weakness they continually aim to improve.
“I think that was just a struggle for us tonight. Like, I think that’s something we’re going to continue to work on — being strong when we get momentum, holding on to it, and just building off of it,” Tuman said. “I think we left a little room for Maryland to come back in, and that’s something that we will continue to work on moving forward.”
After a back-and-forth open to the fourth set, the Buckeyes increased their lead to four points at 12-8. But the Terrapins went on a 5-0 run, taking the lead back.
Maryland increased its lead on a 3-0 run to push the score to 20-17, before the Buckeyes came back to tie the set at 20.
The 3-0 run was ultimately not enough for the Buckeyes, as Maryland finished the set and game with a 3-0 run of their own to win the fourth set 25-21.
The Buckeyes have a quick turnaround and will host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 7 p.m. Saturday at the Covelli Center.
