Volleyball Sets Up 2010 Schedule
6/14/2010 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
June 14, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After a successful spring slate, the Maryland women's volleyball squad has set their schedule for the upcoming 2010 season, head coach Tim Horsmon announced Monday. In combination with the ever competitive Atlantic Coast Conference schools, the Terps' schedule also features four tournaments and eight teams that earned NCAA tournament berths last year.
"We are really excited for the start of the 2010 season and believe we are now in the beginnings of being a really competitive program in the ACC," Horsmon said. "I thought we had a productive spring and we really improved in all facets of our game. I believe our players bought into what we had to do to improve and are ready to compete with the confidence to be competitive this fall."
Maryland begins the season on the road at the Tiger Invitational in Columbia, Mo., on Friday, Aug. 27th. They play host school Missouri during the first day of the tournament and then face Utah Valley and Nevada on Sunday.
Following a weekend away, the Terrapins return home to host two tournaments on back-to-back weekends. September 3rd through the 4th is the Spring Hill Suites at Arundel Mills Maryland Invitational which features Fordham, Bradley and Georgetown. The following Friday and Saturday is the Spring Hill Suites at Arundel Mills Terrapin Invitational with Fairfield and NCAA-Qualifiers Penn and Tulane. Penn's season ended in 2009 when state rival and NCAA champion Penn State defeated the Quakers 3-1 during the NCAA second round.
Just prior to the start of conference play, the Terps visit Philadelphia, Pa., for the Villanova Classic. Maryland and host Villanova are joined by William & Mary and NCAA tournament participant Long Island.
"I like the balance of our schedule and we have to be ready from the opening weekend," said Horsmon. "We're excited to show the progress we've made and the hard work put in this off season. I think we have some players who are close to performing at an All-Conference level and we anxious for them lead the way this fall."
Five ACC teams were included in the field of 64 of the 2009 NCAA Tournament: Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida State who advanced to the semifinals, Clemson and Duke.
League competition kicks off with Boston College in College Park on Tuesday, Sept. 21st at 5 p.m. ET. Maryland then has a four-match road trip to the Triangle and faces North Carolina (9/25), N.C. State (9/25) and Duke (10/1). In between the Wolfpack and Blue Devils, the Terps head a little further west to see Wake Forest on Sept. 30.
For the third straight year, the ACC will play a 20-match regular season with no conference tournament. Maryland will play a home-and-home series with every ACC school except Georgia Tech and Clemson, both of whom the Terps will only face on the road.
Fans will have nine chances to catch their Terrapins at home against ACC competition in addition to the two tournaments in September which feature six total matches.
The Terps then remain home for their next four opponents, starting with Virginia Tech on Friday, Oct. 8th at 7 p.m. That Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Maryland takes on Virginia. Miami comes to town Friday, Oct. 15th at 5:30 p.m. and Florida State is the following Sunday at 1 p.m.
Alternating home and away weekends make up the rest of the Terrapins' schedule. They visit Clemson and Georgia Tech before hosting N.C. State and North Carolina on Oct. 29th at 7 p.m. and 31st at 2 p.m., respectively. The Terps go to UVA and VT at the start of November and return home for their final two home matches against Wake Forest on Nov. 12 and Duke on Nov. 14.
Maryland ends the regular season with three on the road, Florida State, Miami and Boston College.
"Our conference overall had a great year and I think it will only get stronger from what I've seen," said Horsmon. "We have tremendous coaches building formidable programs in the ACC and I wouldn't be surprised to see at least five teams again invited to the NCAA tournament this year."
Sites for the first four rounds of the NCAA tournament are still yet to be determined. This year's championship will be held in Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 16-18.
