Terps Travel to No. 23 Minnesota, No. 6 Wisconsin
10/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland volleyball team continues its inaugural season tour of the Big Ten with a trip to No. 23 Minnesota Friday at 8 p.m. and No. 6 Wisconsin Sunday at 2 p.m.
• The Terps continue their difficult 2014 schedule this weekend against two teams ranked in the latest AVCA Weekly Coaches Poll. In its last seven matches, Maryland has competed against six teams that were either ranked or received votes at the time of competition: Appalachian State (RV), Washington (5), USC (10), Illinois (16) Northwestern (RV) and Purdue (15).
• Both matches will be broadcast on BTN Plus on BTN2Go.
Last Time out
• The Terps opened their home slate last weekend with 3-1 losses to Indiana and No. 14 Purdue.
• Maryland opened the weekend against Indiana in front of 1,238, the highest attendance for the Terps since 2010.
• Against the Hoosiers, senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher led Maryland with 13 kills while freshman middle blocker Hailey Murray notched her first collegiate double-double with 11 kills and 10 blocks.
• In the Terps' loss to the Boilermakers, Crutcher recorded her first double-double of the season with a team-high 15 kills and 13 digs.
Scouting the golden gophers
• In their first road weekend in Big Ten play, Minnesota fell to No. 15 Illinois and No. 24 Northwestern in straight sets.
• The Gophers lead the Big Ten in blocks with 3.16 per set.
• The Tapp twins top the Big Ten in blocks, with Paige averaging 1.49 blocks/set and Hannah making 1.48 blocks/set.
Scouting the badgers
• Wisconsin swept a pair of matches last weekend, taking down No. 24 Northwestern in straight sets and No. 11 Illinois, 3-1.• Wisconsin currently leads the Big Ten in assists/set (13.76), kills/set (14.96) and digs/set (16.63).
• Lauren Carlini leads the conference with 11.84 assists/set while Taylor Morey tops the Big Ten with 5.39 digs/set.
• The Badgers competed in the Pac-12/Big Ten Showcase with the Terps in Seattle earlier this season. Wisconsin defeated then-No. 10 USC, 3-1, before falling to then-No. 5 Washington in five sets.
THINK B1G
• As a new member of the Big Ten, Maryland enters one of the most talented conferences in the nation. Eight Big Ten programs are either ranked or received votes in the latest NVCA Coaches Poll: Penn State (5), Wisconsin (6), Nebraska (8), Purdue (14), Illinois (15), Minnesota (23), Northwestern (24) and Ohio State (RV).
• 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.
btn schedule released
• The Terps are slated to play at least 14 matches this season on the Big Ten Network platform, including the Rutgers match on Oct. 21 which will air nationally on Big Ten Network.
• The other 13 matches will be streamed live on the BTN2Go app (BTN Plus), which is the official app of the Big Ten Network. Fans can access all Big Ten content on BTN Plus for $119.95 per year or a $14.95 monthly subscription.
• A Maryland School Pass for BTN Plus, which includes all Terrapin contests, home and away, on BTN Plus for $79.95 per year or for a $9.95 monthly subscription.
tough schedule
• The Terps are playing 13 matches against teams ranked in the AVCA preseason national poll this season - marking their toughest schedule in history.
• As a new member of the Big Ten, Maryland enters one of the most talented conferences in the nation. The Terps will play a pair of matches against No. 3 Penn State, No. 8 Nebraska, No. 15 Purdue, No. 16 Illinois and No. 18 Minnesota.
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 with 182 kills (3.37 kills/s).
• A two-time all-conference performer and honorable mention all-American as a sophomore, Crutcher leads the Terrapin offense and is hoping for a healthy senior season. The Raleigh, N.C., native has the ability to take matches over, tallying more than 20 kills on four occasions last season.
Money murray
• Freshman middle blocker Hailey Murray has found a new gear as the Terps entered Big Ten play.
• Through four conference matches, Murray is averaging 1.50 blocks/s, leading the Terps and good for fifth in the Big Ten.
• Murray is averaging 2.38 kills/s in Big Ten play, good for second on the team. She is also fourth in the conference with a .378 hitting percentage.
immediate impact
• Three newcomers to the Terps have made impressions for Maryland through the beginning of the 2014 slate.
• Sophomore setter Carlotta Oggioni, a transfer from Oregon State, is currently ranked first on the team and 11th in the Big Ten in assists per set (8.05). An immediate starter for the Terps, Oggioni is also third on the team with 2.12 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 1.03 blocks/s and is averaging 1.79 kills/s.
• Freshman defensive specialist Samantha Higgenbothem has seen time in all 15 matches and is averaging 1.11 digs/s.
