Terps Clash With No. 11 Cornhuskers Sunday
11/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
LINCOLN, Neb. - The Maryland volleyball team (9-17, 2-13 Big Ten) closes its four-match road trip at No. 11 Nebraska (19-7, 11-4) Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
• The match will be streamed on BTN Plus on BTN2Go. The remaining five matches on the Terps' schedule will be broadcast on BTN Plus.
• This is the second time the Terps and Huskers have played this season. Then-No. 14 Nebraska defeated Maryland in three sets in College Park on Nov. 1. Senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher led the match with 12 kills.
Last Time out
• The Terrapins fell, 3-0 (15-25, 18-25, 17-25), at No. 16 Purdue (20-7, 10-5) Wednesday evening.
• For the seventh straight outing, Crutcher led the match in kills, notching 12 against the Boilermakers.
Scouting the CORNhuskers
• No. 11 Nebraska defeated Michigan State, 3-1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-23) Wednesday in Lincoln, Neb.
• Kelsey Fien led the match with 17 kills, while Kadie Rolfzen added 15. Mary Pollmiller dished out 44 assists.
• Rolfzen leads the Huskers on the season with 3.57 kills per set. Meghan Haggerty paces the team and is third in the Big Ten with 1.32 blocks per set. Defensively, Justine Wong-Orantes leads Nebraska with 3.85 digs per set. Pollmiller is fourth in the conference and leads the Huskers in assists, averaging 10.31 per set.
• Nebraska ranks second in the Big Ten in blocks per set with a 2.85 average.
• The Terps should expect a tough atmosphere in the Devaney Center as the Cornhuskers are currently averaging 8,276 fans per match. Nebraska finished 2013 with the highest attendance average in the country (8,175).
Looking Ahead
• After two weeks on the road, Maryland returns to College Park to host Minnesota next Wednesday at 7 p.m.
• The match betwen the Terps and Gophers will be streamed on BTNPlus on BTN2Go.
crusher crutcher
• Senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher has led the Terps' offense as they embark on a new chapter in the Big Ten.
• Crutcher reached the 1,000 career kills mark earlier this season against East Tennessee State, and with 1,258 career kills so far, she currently ranks fourth all-time in the Terrapin record books.
• The Raleigh, N.C., native currentlly leads the team and is fourth in the Big Ten in kills per set with 3.65 (303 total).
• Crutcher has recorded 20+ kills four times this season: 24 at George Mason (9/6), 23 at Northwestern (9/27), 22 vs. Rutgers (10/21) and 20 at Rutgers (10/25).
• In the past seven outings since returning from injury, Crutcher has lead each match in kills: 22 vs. Rutgers (10/21), 20 at Rutgers (10/25), 10 vs. Iowa (10/31), 12 vs. No. 14 Nebraska (11/1), 16 at No. 18 Ohio State (11/7), 16 at No. 6 Penn State (11/8) and 12 at No. 16 Purdue (11/12).
packed house
• The Terps have already set three attendance records in seven 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 1,416 fans in College Park 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 play 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 arguably the most talented volleyball conference in the nation. The Terps will play a pair of matches against No. 6 Penn State, No. 11 Nebraska, No. 12 Illinois, No. 16 Purdue and No. 17 Ohio State.
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 13th in the Big Ten in assists per set (6.48). An immediate starter for the Terps, Oggioni is also third on the team with 1.90 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 1.77 kills/s.
• Freshman defensive specialist Samantha Higginbothem has seen time in all 26 matches and is averaging 1.09 digs/s.
murray makes splash
• Freshman middle blocker Hailey Murray has found a new gear as the Terps entered Big Ten play.
• Through 15 conference matches, Murray is averaging 1.17 blocks/s, leading the Terps and good for 10th in the Big Ten.
• Murray is averaging 1.93 kills/s in Big Ten play, good for second on the team.
fast start in a new era
• In his first season with the Terps, head coach Steve Aird led the team to a 6-0 run to start the year, Maryland's best start since 2005.
• Prior to arriving in College Park, Aird helped Penn State to its sixth national title in 2013 as an assistant coach.
• Aird won a pair of national titles in two stints with Penn State while also working at Auburn and Cincinnati.
• Aird completed his staff with the hiring of assistant coaches Adam Hughes and Kristin Kenney and director of volleyball operations Stephen Yates.
think b1g
• The University of Maryland joined arguably the best volleyball conference in the nation over the summer as the Terps became members of the Big Ten.
• The Big Ten boasts six teams in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll: Wisconsin (4), Penn State (6), Nebraska (11), Illinois (12), Purdue (16) and Ohio State (17).
• In addition to stiff competition, the conference is also home to devoted fans. The Big Ten led the nation in attendance for the seventh year in a row in 2013, and eight programs finished last season in the top 20 nationally in average attendance.
