NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Rutgers volleyball closed out the 2024 campaign on Friday night against Maryland at the College Ave Gyam celebrating graduating seniors Ece Emrullah and Alissa Kinkela.
The Terps, however, topped the Scarlet Knights in the season finale, 25-20, 25-19, 25-22.
- Alissa Kinkela led Rutgers with 10 kills and finished just three kills shy of becoming Rutgers' rally-era career kills leader having accumulated 977 during her time "On The Banks". The Melbourne, Australis native also logged four blocks to land in eighth on the rally-era blocks leaders list. Kinkela wraps up her career as RU's points leader with 1138.5 and earlier this season set the single match kills record with 29.
- Junior Aly Borellis and freshman Lily Bolen both recorded double-figure assists. Borellis put up 15 assists while Bolen aided 13 others.
- Junior Lexi Visintine served up a pair of aces and finished one ace shy of tying for the rally-era season ace leaders. She finished the season with 37.
- Sophomore Zora Hardison led the block for the 21st time this season with six assisted rejections.
- Freshman Natalie Robinson added four blocks to end the year with 110 block assists to tie for the rally-era season leader alongside Jasmine Stackhouse (2018). She brought her season total to a Rutgers rally-era season leading123 while her 1.23 blocks per set are also tied for second in the rally-era.
- Sophomore Kenzie Dyrstad reached double-figure digs for the 15th this season with a game-high 11.
- SET 1 (20-25) | Tied early at 4-4, Maryland used a trio of kills and an ace to take the lead. The Terps led by as many as seven with a 12-5 edge, but Rutgers was able to whittle its deficit to two behind an 8-3 run. The Scarlet Knights trailed 15-13 as the run was capped by Avery Jesewitz and Zora Hardison teaming up at the left pin. Maryland served up an error for RU to trail 16-14, and a Lexi Visintine swing had the Scarlet Knights down 19-17, but Maryland followed with four unanswered en route to taking the set. Anna Hartman led RU with four kills, while Kinkela collected three kills on five swings.
- SET 2 (19-25) | Alleigh Dutton served Rutgers out to a 7-4 lead and a 5-2 burst capped by a Visintine ace pushed RU ahead 13-9. Natalie Robinson swung to put the Scarlet Knights up 17-12, but the visitors made it a one-point game at 17-16 behind four unanswered points. Maryland used a late run while limiting the Scarlet Knights to a kills from Jesewtiz and Robinson down the stretch to go up 2-0. Anna Kinkela and Robinson led the Scarlet Knight attack with three kill each.
- SET 3 (22-25) | Rutgers was within two at 10-8, but Maryland pushed ahead for a 15-10 edge at the midway break. The Scarlet Knights narrowed the gap to three with Visintine and Hardison blocks at 20-17 and a kill on an over ball by Kenzie Dyrstad at 23-20. With the Terps at set point, Rutgers saw a swing by Anna Hartman and an ace by Visintine drew the Scarlet Knights to within a pair down 24-22 before Maryland closed out the match. Hartman ended the frame 4-for-4 on attacks while Kinkela added another trio of kills. In the final stanza, Hardison and Visintine also had three blocks apiece as RU out-blocked Maryland, 10-5.
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