COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland volleyball team welcomed nearly 600 supporters as the Terps kicked off the 2016 season with the annual Red-White Scrimmage Saturday night.
“Tonight was a great event and a good way to start the season off,” head coach Steve Aird said. “Our young players were able to get their feet wet and experience a match day atmosphere, so hopefully that helped get out some jitters going into next week. We had 600 people come out for this event, so the excitement around the program is incredible right now.”
The team hosted fans in Heritage Hall before the match for appetizers and drinks. Aird introduced the crowd to the coaching staff and 2016 roster before beginning the scrimmage in the XFINITY Center Pavilion.
Maryland played an exciting match for fans with the White squad defeated the Red team, 3-0. In set one, freshman outside hitter Gia Milana helped the Red team fight back from a 9-2 deficit to a 16-15 lead. Freshman outside Megan McTigue and junior middle blocker Hailey Murray combined for a block to give White the lead back, 22-21, and White was able to close out the set, 25-22.
Murray led White in set two with a series of blocks to help the team pull away. Red came back to tie, 15-15, before White pulled ahead, and a kill from sophomore opposite Angel Gaskin sealed the set win, 25-22. Set three followed a similar script as the teams once again tied, 15-15. The Red squad pulled within one point late in the set before a service error game the White team a 25-23 game win and the match, 3-0.
Saturday's scrimmage was the first time fans saw Maryland's freshmen in action, including Milana, McTigue, middle blocker Katie Myers, setter Taylor Smith, defensive specialist Nell Drummey and outside hitter Aylin Saran. The class ranked 16th nationally.
The Terps kick off the 2016 season with the Maryland Invite next weekend. Maryland will host Eastern Michigan, Sacred Heart and Delaware State in the two-day tournament. For the complete 2016 slate, click here. To purchase tickets to matches this season, click here.
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