Virginia drops season opener at Maryland

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

In its first match under the direction of first-year coach Shannon Wells, the Virginia volleyball team fell, 3-1 (21-25, 25-23, 19-25, 22-25), in its 2021 season opener against Maryland at XFINITY Center Pavilion Friday night.

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.