Maryland volleyball came within a point of No. 1 Nebraska in the second set, forcing a timeout from the Huskers at 22–21 after back-to-back kills from Ajack Malual and Haley Melby. It was a glimpse of momentum
for the Terps, who had struggled to get much going in the first set.
Maryland looked like it might rattle the nation’s top team. But Nebraska’s depth and relentless defense quickly silenced the surge.
The Huskers stormed back to sweep Maryland, 3–0, Saturday night in Lincoln. The loss dropped the Terps to 7–5 overall and 0–2 in Big Ten play.
The defeat extended Maryland’s decades-long struggles against Nebraska. The Terps haven’t beaten the Huskers since their first-ever meeting in 1975, losing 21 straight matchups since then.
Maryland opened the match struggling to find rhythm, dropping the first set 25–14 as Nebraska’s offense dominated at the net. The Terps managed a few short runs, with Haley Melby and Ajack Malual contributing a handful of kills, but Nebraska’s offense proved too strong for the Terps.
Maryland had three service errors and seven attack errors in the first set, which limited the Terps’ ability to mount any sustained threat.
The second set saw Maryland briefly push back. They had an early 5–4 lead but Nebraska quickly gained momentum with a straight 4 point streak. By the end of the set Maryland was able to limit the lead to only 22–21 and pushed Nebraska past the normal 25 point win.
“It was nice to have a chance to maybe steal set two and see the crowd get into it,” head coach Adam Hughes said. “I thought it was overall a pretty good level of [competition].”
After back-to-back kills by Rebekah Allick and Harper Murrary, Nebraska won the second set 27–25.
Rebekah Allick recorded a season-high 13 kills against Maryland, with seven in the second set alone.
By the third set, the Terps had lost the spark they grew in the second. Nebraska started with an early lead 5–1 and the gap only grew.
Despite efforts from Malual, Melby and Eva Rohrbach, Maryland could not string together a successful run to take the lead.
The Terps tried to mount a late rally, with a run of three points cutting the deficit to 22–14 after an attack error by Taylor Landfair. But it turned out to be the last time Maryland scored all afternoon.
Nebraska closed the third set, 25–14 with a kill from Landfair.
“I thought we were really resilient,” Hughes said. “I saw us play very hard and I thought we matched their intensity.”
The Terps will return home Friday to take on Rutgers, looking to pick up their first Big Ten. They have now recorded back-to-back-losses for the first time since their first two losses this season, against Coastal Carolina and North Carolina.
Three things to know
1. Maryland pushed against a top team. The Terps showed sparks of momentum against the nation’s top squad, coming within a point at 22–21 in the second set. Nebraska’s skill and depth as a team ultimately prevailed, but Maryland proved it can fight hard against powerhouse teams.
2. Maryland’s serving stood out. Maryland led Nebraska in aces, 9–5, with Malual recording three and Ally Williams and Melby each recording two. Maryland’s serving pressure kept Nebraska on its toes and gave the Terps opportunities to create momentum, particularly in the second set.
3. Rutgers incoming. The Terps started Big Ten play 0–3 in 2024, but had their first win against Rutgers in straight sets. They will look to do that again Friday against the Scarlet Knights.
