COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Oct. 6, 2017) – Rutgers volleyball fell in straight sets on national television Friday night at Maryland, 25-18, 25-22, 25-17, on the Big Ten Network.
 
The Scarlet Knights (5-12, 0-5 Big Ten) recorded eight team blocks, a season high for Rutgers in Big Ten play, compared to seven from the Terrapins (13-4, 2-3). RU's energetic play at the net was led by four total blocks apiece from sophomore middle blocker Stasa Miljevic and freshman opposite hitter Kamila Cieslik. The Maryland defense, meanwhile, held Rutgers to a .035 hitting percentage while hitting .208 on their end.
 
Junior outside hitter Sahbria McLetchie led Rutgers in hitting with seven kills, while sophomore middle blocker Jasmine Stackhouse was the most effective with a .333 attack clip on five kills and one error in 12 swings. Cieslik scooped a team-high 11 digs and served Rutgers' only ace of the night.
 
Set 1 | Maryland 25, Rutgers 18
Cieslik and Miljevic started the party with block assists to give Rutgers an early 5-2 lead, which didn't relent until Maryland used an 8-0 run to go up 10-8. The Terps would not relinquish that lead throughout the remainder of the set, despite another two blocks by Rutgers.
 
Set 2 | Maryland 25, Rutgers 22
Cieslik's solo block and a kill from Stackhouse helped RU to an early 6-1 lead, prompting a Maryland timeout. Right out of the break, McLetchie and Stackhouse stuffed a Maryland attempt for the Scarlet Knights' sixth straight point. Consecutive bounces by McLetchie held Rutgers' lead at two points before Maryland chipped away to even the score at 16-16.
 
An eventual 9-2 Maryland run gave the home side a 20-17 advantage, but RU rattled off three straight with a stamp by Cieslik's service ace. Miljevic and McLetchie combined on a block for another tie score at 22-22, but Maryland rode a fired up crowd to three consecutive points and the set win.
 
Set 3 | Maryland 25, Rutgers 17
The third set played the tightest despite the largest score discrepancy of the evening, as the teams fought through 10 tie scores throughout the stanza. Maryland hit a match-high .323 in this set and used a 7-2 run surrounding a media timeout to take a 19-14 lead. Senior setter Talia Holze passed out five assists in the set, including kills to Stackhouse and Cieslik down the stretch.
 
Knight Notes

• Maryland improves to 6-1 over Rutgers in the Big Ten, but Rutgers holds the 14-11 all-time advantage.
• Rutgers eight blocks was three more than in any other Big Ten match this season, with the Scarlet Knights reaching five on three separate occasions. The four blocks from Miljevic and Cieslik were also individual Big Ten highs for Rutgers.
• Cieslik's 11 digs ties an individual high in Big Ten matches this season.
• Rutgers trailed Maryland in digs 40-37, but posted its highest dig total in Big Ten play, surpassing the previous mark of 33 set against then-No. 14 Nebraska.

 
Up Next: The Scarlet Knights charter to Columbus, Ohio late Friday evening for a Saturday, Oct. 7 date at Ohio State at 8 p.m.
 
 
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