Virginia Falls in Season Opener at Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — In its first match under the direction of first-year Head Coach Shannon Wells, the Virginia volleyball team (0-1) fell, 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 19-25, 22-25), in its 2021 season opener against Maryland (1-0) at XFINITY Center Pavilion Friday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With the score tied 20-20 in the opening set, the Terrapins closed out the first on a 5-1 run to take an early 1-0 lead. Six Cavalier service errors also proved costly in game No. 1.
- Virginia registered points on two of the last three points in game No. 2 to even the match, 1-1. UVA won a tightly-contested second set, 25-23, after outhitting the Terrapins .250 to .207.
- After Maryland jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third, UVA fought back to tie the set, 18-18, on a service ace. With the score tied, 19-19, the Terrapins registered the final six points of the set to win it, 25-19.
- A 4-0 run by the Terrapins in the fourth proved to be the difference in the fourth, which Maryland won, 25-22.
MATCH NOTES
- With the loss, UVA fell to 26-17 all-time in regular-season openers.
- The match between the Cavaliers and Maryland was the first since 2013, when the Terrapins were still a member of the ACC.
- In her career debut as a Cavalier, Ashley Le was one dig shy of a double-double. Le finished Friday’s contest with team-high 19 assists and nine digs.
- Offensively, the Hoos were led by outside hitter Grace Turner, who posted 13 kills and hit .263, adding four blocks and five digs.
- In her first career, sophomore right side hitter Mary Shaffer registered nine kills on 27 swings. Shaffer appeared in just two matches and played in three sets during her freshman campaign.
UP NEXT
- Virginia returns to action at the Maryland Invite on Saturday to face Hofstra at 10:30 a.m. before taking on Central Connecticut State in the first-ever meeting between the two teams at 4:30 p.m.
- Both matches are set to stream on B1G Network+.