ORLANDO - The UCF volleyball team dropped a close match with Maryland in five sets on Saturday night in The Venue.
The Knights (7-2) totaled 57 kills while the Terrapins (9-2) only tallied 55, as both teams recorded eight blocks and nine aces. Emily Wilson led UCF, recording her second double-double of the season with 15 kills and 12 digs. Alexia Kuehl racked up 15 kills for the Knights followed by Britt Carlson with 10. Abby Schomers ran the offense with 45 assists. Chloe Scheer recorded a career high with five aces, while also managing to tally double-digit digs (13). Sophia Kotsovolos also added in 12 digs.
Wilson put the Knights on the board first with a kill but the Terrapins quickly answered. The teams traded points back and forth until a back-to-back kill and block from Kuehl led the Black and Gold to take the lead 8-5. The Terrapins snuck a few points in but struggled to get their feet under them as an ace from Scheer put the Knights up by seven (15-8). A 4-0 scoring run put Maryland back within three points of UCF, 19-16. But ultimately, a kill from Carlson would end the game as the Knights snagged the first set, 25-20.
Scheer opened the second set with an ace but Maryland was quick to fight back and tie up the game 2-2. The Knights and Terrapins grappled for the lead staying within a point of each other until a 3-0 run let Maryland take the lead 12-9. The Terrapins were able to hold on to the lead for the rest of the set ultimately going on a 6-0 run to win 15-25.
UCF came out hot to start the third set going up 5-0. An attack error by Maryland would force them to take a second time out early as the Knights held an eight-point edge (9-1). A big solo block followed by a kill from Britt Carlson would push the score gap to 11 points putting the Knights up 19-8. UCF was up by 12 at set point but the Terrapins would fight back going on a six-point run to close back in (24-18). But the Knights fought for the set win with a kill from Kuehl, 25-18.
The fourth set started out as a battle with three ties and four lead changes. Maryland would break away with a nine-point run to take an 11-4 lead. The Knights chipped away at the score gap and a kill from Sasha Cohen would put UCF back within two points of the Terrapins, 15-13. The Terps would answer back by going on a quick five-point run putting them back in the lead by seven, 14-21. The Knights weren’t able to regain the lead and the Terrapins would take the fourth set, 25-18.
Back-to-back aces from Scheer helped the Knights kick off the fifth set strong. However, the Terrapins pushed their way back to lead the game by one (5-4) and would hold the Knights to four points until the teams switched sides. The Knights quickly turned it around with Wilson putting down a kill to ignite a back-and-forth battle between the teams where the Knights were able to close the gap back to one (12-11). Although the Knights fought hard, the Terps were able to take the fifth set 15-12.
The Knights will head into Big 12 conference play on Wednesday, September 25 as they head to No. 10 Kansas for a 7:30 p.m. matchup.