Terps Return Home to Host Minnesota, #4 Penn State
11/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After two weeks on the road, the Maryland volleyball team (9-18, 2-14 Big Ten) returns to College Park to host Minnesota (16-11, 6-10) and No. 4 Penn State (26-3, 2-14).
• The Terrapins take on Minnesota Wednesday in the XFINITY Center Pavilion at 7 p.m. Maryland returns to the Pavilion to play No. 4 Penn State Saturday at 7 p.m.
• Both matches this week will be streaked on BTN Plus on BTN2Go. The remaining four matches on the Terps' schedule will be broadcast on BTN Plus.
Last Time out
• The Terps fell, 3-1 (17-25, 14-25, 25-18, 18-25), to No. 11 Nebraska Sunday afternoon in Lincoln, Neb. Maryland played the match close to the Cornhuskers, forcing the 11th-ranked squad to six set point attempts in the first game, and taking the third set.
• Junior outside hitter Emily Fraik led the Terrapins with 13 kills, while senior outside hitter Ashleigh Crutcher made 12.
Scouting the golden gophers
• Minnesota defeated Northwestern in four sets last Wednesday before falling to Penn State in three on Saturday.
• The Golden Gophers rank second in the Big Ten in blocks (2.84/s). Both Tapp sisters rank among the conference's best in blocks, with Paige leading the Big Ten (1.44/s) and Hannah ranked seventh (1.22/s).
• Daly Santana leads the team and is second in the conference in kills (3.91/s).
• The Gophers and Terps met earlier this season when then-No. 23 Minnesota defeated Maryland, 3-0, on Oct. 10.
scouting the nittany lions
• Penn State swept Minnesota in straight sets last Saturday. Aiyana Whitney made 17 kills for the Nittany Lions while Micha Hancock notched 31 assists, seven digs, four kills, four aces and three blocks.
• Three Nittany Lions earned Big Ten weekly honors Monday. Whitney was selected as Player of the Week, while Hancock was named Setter of the Week and Haleigh Washington earned Freshman of the Week honors.
• As a team, Penn State is currently first in the Big Ten in kills (14.69/s) and service aces (1.95/s) and second in the conference in assists (13.25/s).
• Three Nittany Lions sit at the top of the Big Ten in hitting percentage: Washington (.491), Nia Grant (.476) and Whitney (.395). Hancock leads the conference in assists (11.42/s), and Washington is tied for fifth in blocks (1.25/s).
• The Nittany Lions defeated the Terps, 3-0, in State College, Pa., on Nov. 8. Crutcher led match with 16 kills.
• Penn State moved to the fourth spot in the AVCA Coaches Poll this week, making the Nittany Lions the highest ranked team the Terps have faced this season.
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.
think b1g
• The Terps play 13 matches against teams ranked in the AVCA preseason national poll this season - marking their toughest schedule in history.
• 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 (2), Penn State (4), Illinois (10), Nebraska (11), Purdue (16) and Ohio State (20).
• So far this season, the Terps have played 14 matches against opponents who were ranked or received votes at the time of competition: Appalachian State (RV), Washington (5), USC (10), Illinois (16), Northwestern (RV), Purdue (15), Minnesota (23), Wisconsin (6), Michigan (RV), Nebraska (14), Ohio State (18), Penn State (6), Purdue (16) and Nebraska (11).
ALL ABOUT THAT ACE
• In conference play this year, the Terps are ranked third in the Big Ten in service aces per set with 1.28 (74 total).
• Through 16 Big Ten matches, sophomore setter Whitney Craigo and junior outside hitter Emily Fraik have served 15 aces apiece, good for 0.26/s and tied for 10th in the Big Ten.
• In 24 matches this season, Craigo has made 20 service aces, averaging 0.24/s. Craigo is ranked 14th in the Big Ten through the season.
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 (6.42). An immediate starter for the Terps, Oggioni is also third on the team with 1.84 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 1.75 kills/s.
• Freshman defensive specialist Samantha Higginbothem has seen time in all 27 matches and is averaging 1.13 digs/s.
murray makes splash
• Freshman middle blocker Hailey Murray has found a new gear as the Terps entered Big Ten play.
• Through 16 conference matches, Murray is averaging 1.03 blocks/s, leading the Terps and good for 14th in the Big Ten.
• Murray is averaging 1.88 kills/s in Big Ten play, good for third 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.
