Volleyball Terps Start Season With Maryland Invitational
8/25/2003 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 25, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland volleyball team gets its season underway with clear goals: To return to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference and to compete in the NCAA tournament. That journey starts this weekend, as the Terps play host to Michigan State, Villanova and Tennessee at the Maryland Invitational in College Park.
The Terps, who return 10 letterwinners from last year, begin the 2003 campaign in the new home of Maryland Volleyball - Comcast Center Gymnasium - at 7 p.m. on Friday night vs. Tennessee.
The two-day round robin tournament starts Friday at 5 p.m., when Michigan State and Villanova square off before the Terps' nightcap. Saturday, the schedule has Maryland facing Villanova at 11 a.m. and Michigan State at 7 p.m. The other matches Saturday feature Michigan State vs. Tennessee at 1 p.m. and Villanova vs. Tennessee at 5 p.m. Admission to all tournament matches is free.
Maryland head coach Janice Kruger, the eighth all-time winningest active coach in the nation with 611 career victories, hopes intense and focused preseason training will translate into strong performances in the team's season-opener.
"I have been really pleased with our preseason," Kruger said. "We've challenged the team and practice intensity has been very high. We've been working hard and can't wait to start the season."
Lynnsy Jones (Castro Valley, Calif.) returns for her senior season after setting school records last year in total kills for a season (533) and kills in a single game (33). Jones, a two-year starter who will compete for ACC Player of the Year honors, adds crucial experience at right side hitter to an otherwise young squad.
Joining Jones' powerful attack is junior outside hitter Maria DiLivio (Hamilton, Ontario), back from a redshirt season in 2002. DiLivio finished second on the team with 319 kills as a sophomore and will provide the Terps with another powerful presence at the net.
"Lynnsy and Maria, along with Jennifer Dewalt (Bethlehem, Pa.) and Sarah Treadwell (Pearland, Texas) will be very competitive," Kruger said.
Two Terps poised to have breakout seasons are junior setter Aimee Huddleston (Keller, Texas) and sophomore middle blocker Stephanie Smith (Bethesda, Md.).
With the graduation of three-year starter Lindsay Davey, Huddleston takes the helm at setter. She saw playing time in 2002 while Davey was out with a broken finger. During that span, she posted 300 assists in 50 games, good for 6.00 assists per game.
"Aimee works hard all the time and has been doing a nice job leading the team," Kruger said.
Smith, a redshirt freshman last season, was one of the team's leading blockers in 2002 and, along with 2002 All-Freshman team selection Rachel Wagener (Chesapeake, Va.), will build the Terps' solid block.
"Stephanie Smith had an extremely strong preseason," Kruger said. "She's very open to learning and she competes and goes hard day in and day out."
Matches against three national foes will be an early challenge for the Terrapins, who begin this season hoping to speed up their offense and play at an up-tempo pace. The tournament matches will be the first of the season for all four teams.
"This will be a good test for us coming out of the gate," Kruger said. "It's exciting."
Click here to view the 2003 Maryland volleyball outlook.
