Volleyball Seniors
11/10/2003 7:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 10, 2003
By Amy Mulligan
Maryland Media Relations
Tuesday night, the University of Maryland volleyball team closes its regular season home schedule and with it celebrates the four-year careers of seniors Fiona DeFreitas, Lynnsy Jones and Lauren Wilson. As a class, the trio has won over 65 matches and provided a backbone to a talented team through consistent leadership.
"The three seniors are an interesting combination," said Terps' head coach Janice Kruger of the group. "Every day, they've come ready to work and although they have very different personalities, they blend to make a great group and have really done a nice job for Maryland and the volleyball program," she added.
Fiona DeFreitas, a local product out of Lanham, Md., has enjoyed a breakout senior season as the squad's libero. With increased confidence, DeFreitas posted a career-high 28 digs vs. North Carolina and has boosted her career averages in all categories. Both her teammates and coaches praise her maturation into a steady presence in the back row. "Fiona, who was extremely quick but in essence a beginner when she came to us as a walk-on, has made improvements every year and this year has really started to reach her peak," Kruger said.
"Through my experience of playing with Fiona, she has matured so much not only as a volleyball player, but also as an individual," teammate Maria DiLivio said.
DeFreitas, who will graduate in December with a degree in criminal justice, says she has had memorable moments with her teammates and will miss the thrill of competition after she is done playing.
"I would like to be remembered as an aggressive defensive specialist that frustrated the best of hitters," DeFreitas said. "I will definitely miss the competitiveness of the game."
Lynnsy Jones, a west coast import from Castro Valley, Calif., will leave Maryland with her name etched in school history. Her serving accuracy and scoring talent has continued during her senior campaign. She holds school records for kills in a season, kills in a game and career service aces, and was honored her junior year as an AVCA All-Region 3 team member. The versatile right side hitter has taken on the role of all-around player this season, as Coach Kruger points out.
"Lynnsy is just a phenomenal athlete, and while attacking has always been her strength and her jump serve has always been dominant, her overall game has really improved this year," Kruger said.
"Lynnsy has added a lot to our program," teammate Sarah Treadwell adds. "She has a great competitive spirit and is a dominant player."
Jones, a four-year standout who has helped the team score many memorable victories, cites her favorite moment on the court as a trip home during her freshman season.
"Our first tournament my freshman year, I got to play at home in front of my family which was awesome," she said.
Hailing from North East, Md., Lauren Wilson has stood out on and off the court for four years at Maryland. Wilson, who came back from ACL surgery last year to return for her senior season, has been a defensive and passing asset in her time as a Terrapin, posting a career-high 18 digs in 2002 vs. Duke. A stellar student, Wilson has maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout her time at Maryland, and leaves a member of the ACC Honor Roll and a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society.
"Lauren is such a committed individual, from volleyball to academics to every facet of her life," Kruger said. "I'm so impressed by her maturity and her intelligence. If you're looking at pure form and passing, she has our best passing form. It was unfortunate that she hurt her knee," Kruger added.
"Lauren is so positive and encouraging," Treadwell said. "She works so hard, even through adversity. With her knee, when it would have been easy to give up, she has persevered."
Wilson echoes this sentiment and hopes her love of the game was evident during her time at Maryland. "I walked on as a 5-4 defensive specialist and stuck with it for four years. The thing that gets you through is a love of the game," she said.
This season, the trio has led the team to its first 20-win season since 1997 and an upset of then-No. 4 Georgia Tech in Comcast Center Gymnasium. Alone in second place in the ACC with two regular season matches left on the schedule, the Terrapins are poised to make a deep run into the conference tournament and await a possible NCAA berth.
The seniors credit the squad's success to a team chemistry and focus that came about this season and welcome the results that have come from it. For their part, their teammates know they will be remembered for their competitive spirit and passion.
"They've all brought unique traits to our team, and we've had so many memories with them," DiLivio said. "Together, they were a force on and off the court."
