Terps Host Iowa, No. 14 Nebraska
10/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Coming off its first Big Ten Conference wins, the Maryland volleyball team hosts Iowa and No. 14 Nebraska this weekend.
• The Terps take on the Hawkeyes for the first time in program history Friday at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast on BTN Plus on BTN2Go.
• Maryland and the 14th-ranked Huskers will face off Saturday at 7 p.m.
Last Time out
• After earning their first-ever Big Ten win last Tuesday against Rutgers, the Terps defeated the Scarlet Knights again, 3-2, Saturday.
• Senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher notched 20 kills on .265 hitting Saturday to lead the match.
• Three Terps recorded double-doubles against Rutgers, including senior outside hitter Emily Fraik (12K, 11D), sophomore setter Carlotta Oggioni (26A, 10D) and sophomore setter Whitney Craigo (20A, 10D).
Scouting the HAWKEYES
• Iowa fell to then-No. 25 Minnesota last Saturday in straight sets. Outside hitter Julianne Blomberg led the Hawkeyes in the match with seven kills.
• Outside hitters Lauren Brobst and Alex Lovell lead the Iowa offense. Brobst has 181 kills on the season, good for 2.66/s, while Lovell has 164 for 2.98/s.
• The Hawkeyes utilize setters Alyssa Klostermann (5.72 assists/s) and Kaylee Smith (5.77 assists/s) in their 6-2 offense.
• Iowa is led by first year head coach Bond Shymansky, who was previously the head coach at Marquette and Georgia Tech.
SCOUTING THE HUSKERS
• Nebraska fell, 3-0, to then-No. 5 Wisconsin last Saturday. Outside hitter Amber Rolfzen led the Huskers with 10 kills and added seven digs and two blocks. Setter Mary Pollmiller notched a double-double with 29 assists and 11 digs.• Outside hitter Katie Rolfzen leads Nebraska with 3.46 kills/s, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. Middle blocker Meghan Haggerty is fourth in the conference with 1.25 blocks/s.
• The Huskers are second in the Big Ten with 14.72 digs per set. Nebraska also ranks third in blocks (2.81/s).
• Head coach John Cook is in his 14th season with the Huskers. Nebraska has gone to the NCAA postseason each season under Cook's tenure and has garnered two national championships.
DIG PINK
• The Terps host their annual Dig Pink match Friday against Iowa. Players will wear pink warmups and headbands.
• An in-match silent auction will take place Friday, featuring signed basketballs, a volleyball package and more. All proceeds will benefit the Side-Out Foundation.
• The Side-Out Foundation was established in 2004 to unite volleyball players and coaches and have them work toward the common goal of furthering breast cancer awareness.
• Former Terps head coach Janice Kruger is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Side-Out.
think b1g
• As a new member of the Big Ten, Maryland enters one of the most talented conferences in the nation. Seven Big Ten programs are either ranked or received votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll: Wisconsin (4), Penn State (6), Illinois (10), Purdue (13), Nebraska (14), Ohio State (17) and Minnesota.
• Prior to joining the conference, the Terps had met nine Big Ten programs in their 43-season history: Indiana (2-1), Michigan (0-5), Michigan State (1-2), Minnesota (0-3), Nebraska (1-3), Ohio State (1-6), Penn State (6-17), Rutgers (8-10) and Wisconsin (0-1).
• Before joining the conference, the Terps were 19-48 all-time against Big Ten programs.
• Maryland plays Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern and Purdue for the first time in program history this season.
RECORD ATTENDANCE
• The Terps have already set three attendance records in five home matches this season.
• The Maryland-Michigan State match (10/17) drew 4,173 fans to the XFINITY Center main court, the largest attendance in program history.
• Maryland's home opener against Indiana (10/3) brough 1,238 fans to the XFINITY Center Pavilion, the largest attendance since 2010. It was also the seventh-largest crowd in Maryland history.
• In a nationally televised match against Rutgers (10/22), the Terps drew 1,215 fans, the eighth-largest crowd in Maryland history.
• The Terps are currently averaging 1,596 fans in College Park.
crusher crutcher
• Senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher reached the 1,000 career kills mark earlier this season against East Tennessee State.
• The Raleigh, N.C., native currentlly leads the team and is seventh in the Big Ten with 237 kills (3.54 kills/s).
• Crutcher has recorded 20+ kills four times this season: 24 at George Mason (9/6), 23 at Northwestern (9/27), 22 vs. Rutgers (9/21) and 20 at Rutgers (9/25).
immediate impact
• Three newcomers to the Terps have made impressions for Maryland.
• Sophomore setter Carlotta Oggioni, a transfer from Oregon State, is currently ranked first on the team and 12th in the Big Ten in assists per set (7.03). An immediate starter for the Terps, Oggioni is also third on the team with 1.95 digs/s. Oggioni was named to the Elon Phoenix Classic and Patriot Invitational all-tournament teams.
• Freshman middle blocker Hailey Murray was named to the Black & Gold Challenge all-tournament team. Murray is first on the Terps with 1.00 blocks/s and is averaging 1.88 kills/s.
• Freshman defensive specialist Samantha Higginbothem has seen time in all 21 matches and is averaging 1.17 digs/s.
murray makes splash
• Freshman middle blocker Hailey Murray has found a new gear as the Terps entered Big Ten play.
• Through 10 conference matches, Murray is averaging 1.16 blocks/s, leading the Terps and good for 12th in the Big Ten.
• Murray is averaging 2.21 kills/s in Big Ten play, good for second on the team. She is also eighth in the conference with a .318 hitting percentage.
