Volleyball Prepares for Georgetown Invitational
6/21/1999 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
September 3, 1998
TERPS OPEN 98 ROAD CAMPAIGN AT GEORGETOWN INVITATIONAL
Maryland travels to Washington, D.C. for the Georgetown Invitational where the Terps meet Michigan on Friday at noon, and take on Temple and Georgetown on Saturday at noon and 6 p.m., respectively. Maryland and Georgetown enter this weekends matchups with 1-0 records while Michigan and Temple each begin their seasons this weekend at the Georgetown Invite.
TERPS OPEN 98 SEASON WITH WIN AGAINST VILLANOVA
Maryland ran its regular-season win streak to 33 matches on Tuesday night, defeating Villanova in four games, 15-11, 15-13, 11-15, 15-7. Terrapin freshman Katie Cramer led the offense as she pounded down 14 kills en route to hitting .650. Junior outside hitter Kate Hannas also played well, hitting .417. Freshman setter Libby Alberts made her debut performance in a Maryland uniform and tossed up 60 assists.
QUOTING KRUGER
On Marylands opening win of 1998: "I think for our first match, this was a good start. This was a tough team (Villanova) for us to open up with. Our team responded very well. Our hitting was good and Libby (Alberts) did a nice job of setting."
THE STREAK CONTINUES
The Terps carry a 33-match overall regular-season win streak into this weekends action. Their last loss was on Oct. 18, 1996 at Florida. Maryland also owns a 34-match ACC regular-season win streak. The last time the Terps lost a regular-season ACC match was Oct. 25, 1995 at Clemson. Marylands 18-match home win streak also continued after Tuesday nights win.
MARYLAND VS. THE TOURNAMENT FIELD
Maryland and Michigan have only met twice in school history. Michigan holds a 2-0 advantage. The last meeting occurred in 1992 at the Kentucky Challenge in Lexington, Ky. The Wolverines handed the Terps a 3-1 loss. The Terps first met the Wolverines in 1976 at the AIAW National Tournament. Maryland leads the Temple series, 15-11 with the last win dating back to Sept. 2, 1993. Maryland leads the Georgetown series series, 36-13, with the last meeting occurring in 1997 where the Terps handed the Hoyas a 3-0 loss.
TERPS RECORD IN ROAD OPENERS
Maryland owns a 7-4 record (dating back to 1985) in its road openers. The last time the Terps suffered an opening road loss was on Sept. 1, 1995, when they dropped a 3-1 decision to Akron at the George Washington tournament.
NET NOTES
Maryland is hitting .265 as a team ... freshman Katie Cramer leads all hitters with a .650 hitting percentage ... junior outside hitter Kate Hannas is hitting .417 which is second on the team ... Cramer and Hannas also lead the Terps at the net with four total blocks ... freshman setter Libby Alberts is averaging 15 assists per game ... senior middle hitter Jaime Summers leads all Terps on defense with a 3.75 digs per game average.
CRAMER SHINES IN OPENER
Redshirt freshman middle hitter Katie Cramer (Loveland, Colo.) had a fine first outing wearing a Maryland uniform. Against Villanova on Tuesday, Cramer led all Terps on offense, hitting .650 after pounding down 14 kills on 20 swings with only one error.
THE LIP ON LIBBY
Freshman setter Libby Alberts earned the starting role against Villanova on Tuesday and finished the evening with 60 assists in the Terps four-game win. The Eden Prairie, Minn. native is averaging 15 assists per game.
ROAD WEARY
Following their home match on Tuesday, Sept. 8 against UMBC, the Terps hit the road for six consecutive matches, highlighted by a road journey to Colorado where the Terps will meet 12th-ranked Colorado and 26th-ranked Colorado State.
THE SCOOP ON SUMMERS
Undoubtedly the focal point of the 1998 Maryland offense is senior middle hitter Jaime Summers (Lake Conneaut, Pa.). A first team All-ACC selection a year ago, Summers returns as the Terps top offensive threat, as she posted a .331 hitting percentage as a junior. The Pennsylvania native recorded career-bests in every category last year, including 21 kills and 18 digs against Clemson. She averaged 3.25 kills per game and 2.02 digs per game.
TOUGH "D"
Maryland finished the 1997 campaign ranked third in the nation in digs with a 20.24 per game average. Returning to man the Terp defense this year is senior outside hitter Kim Adolphs (Runcorn, Australia). The Australian native posted 428 digs last year which placed her second on the team. She averaged 3.96 digs per game and registered a career-high 26 against Georgia Tech.
FRESH FACES
Maryland head coach Janice Kruger welcomes four newcomers to this years Terp squad. Included in the mix is junior transfer Beth Murphy (Duquesne). Freshmen Libby Alberts, Angie Banys and Judy Shen round out the list of newcomers.
QUICK SET
Gone from last years 27-2 squad is setter Eden Kroeger who left the program as the Terps all-time assist leader with 5,259 career assists. Maryland head coach Janice Kruger will have three options this year at the setter position--Katarina Bridova, last years backup setter; Libby Alberts, a freshman from Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Judy Shen, a local product from Rockville, Md.
KRUGERS COURT
Terrapin head coach Janice Kruger (Nebraska 77) begins her 11th season at Maryland after being named ACC Coach of the Year last season, her third such honor. Kruger has guided the Terps to back-to-back undefeated regular-season ACC records, and to a perfect 25-0 regular-season record last year. She owns a 208-112 record at Maryland, and has a 580-214-6 career record in her 20 years. Kruger is the winningest active ACC coach and is ranked 11th among all coaches in winning percentage (.750).
TERPS TABBED SIXTH IN ACC POLL
Maryland, which has posted back-to-back undefeated regular-season ACC records the last two seasons, is picked to finish sixth in the ACC this year as voted by the leagues nine head coaches. Florida State, which returns all six starters from last years second-place team, is picked to win the regular season. Clemson, the 1997 ACC Tournament champion, is picked second, with Georgia Tech and North Carolina tied for third. Duke, Virginia, Wake Forest and NC State are tabbed fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.
TERPS ENTER YEAR TWO IN RITCHIE
Tuesdays win over Villanova extended Marylands win streak at Ritchie Coliseum to 10 matches. The streak dates back to the Terps opening win against James Madison on Sept. 30, 1997. The Terps are only home three times in the month of September, and are on the road for nine matches, including the opening of their 1998 ACC schedule at Duke. Ritchie Coliseum serves as the host of this years ACC Championship Tournament, Nov. 20-22.
TERPS BY THE NUMBERS
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Maryland carries a 34-match ACC regular-season win streak into the 1998 season. The Terrapins last loss was on Oct. 25, 1995 at Clemson.
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The Terps carry a 33-match overall regular-season win streak into this weekends action. Their last loss was on Oct. 18, 1996 at Florida.
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The Terps own a 18-match overall home win streak after their win over Villanova on Tuesday. (including matches at Cole Field House and Ritchie Coliseum). Their last loss was on Oct. 9, 1996 against George Mason.
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Maryland returns three starters from last years 27-2 squad (Jaime Summers, Kim Adolphs and Kate Hannas).
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Maryland became only the eighth team in NCAA Division I history to record an undefeated regular-season record. The Terps finished the regular-season with a 25-0 record.
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Terp freshman Katie Cramer is hitting a team-high .650.
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Freshman setter Libby Alberts tossed up 60 assists in her Maryland debut.
