THE MATCHUP
Wednesday, September 26 -- vs. #16 Purdue, 7:00 p.m (ET).
BTN Plus | Live Stats | Tickets
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The Maryland volleyball team will welcome their first ranked opponent to The Pavilion in the 2018 season, as the Terps are set for a midweek matchup with No. 16 Purdue on Wednesday night.
QUICK HITS
• Maryland stands at 10-4 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play. The Terps started their conference slate with a straight-set win over Rutgers on Wednesday night, behind a complete team performance that featured seven kills, three aces and two blocks from redshirt sophomore Katie Myers challenging No. 7 Minnesota in three sets behind an impressive defensive performance that included 23 digs from freshman libero Allegra Rivas.
• The Terps went 9-3 in nonconference play, winning eight of the 12 matches in straight sets. Maryland won three of the four nonconference tournaments they competed in, the Wake Forest/UNCG Tournament, the Akron Invite and the Cherry & White Challenge.
• Maryland is led by sophomore outside hitter Erika Pritchard, who has 207 kills, 131 digs and 33 blocks on the season. Pritchard has a double-double in half of Maryland's matches to start the season and was named the Akron Invitational MVP after totaling 56 kills and 35 digs that weekend.
• Sophomore setter Nicole Alford leads the team with 500 assists this season, at 10.20 per set. Rivas is first in digs with 230, at 4.69 per set. Redshirt sophomore Katie Myers leads the team in both blocks (55) and aces (28).
RIVAS EARNS BIG TEN HONORS
• After averaging a Big Ten best 6.17 digs per set in her first ever two conference matches, freshman libero Allegra Rivas was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week this past Monday.
• Rivas tallied 23 digs in Saturday night's match at No. 7 Minnesota, the most by a player in a three set Big Ten match in two years and the most by a freshman in a three set Big Ten match since Illinois' Brandi Donnelly had 25 against Minnesota on October 1, 2014. The 23 digs were also the most ever by a Maryland player in a three set Big Ten match.
• The Aledo, Texas native now has the most digs per set in the conference through two games of Big Ten play and stands fifth overall with 4.69 digs per set on the season.
• The freshman is the first Maryland player to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors since Ashlyn MacGregor on August 29, 2016. She is also the first Maryland player to earn any Big Ten weekly honor since Erika Pritchard was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week last year on November 27.
KATIE ACE. KATIE BLOCK.
• Redshirt sophomore
Katie Myers returned to the starting lineup this season after suffering season ending knee injuries in each of the last two seasons. Myers was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA this spring, giving her three more seasons in College Park.
• In her first few weeks back, Myers has made an impact. She leads the Big Ten in service aces with 28 (0.57 per set) and ranks in the top 15 and leads the Terps in blocks with 55 (1.12 per set).
EP TIME
• Sophomore outside hitter
Erika Pritchard has had an impressive start to her sophomore season. Pritchard is averaging 4.22 kills per set, the third best mark in the Big Ten.
• At the Akron Invitational, the sophomore totaled 56 kills and 35 digs, recording a double-double in all three games en route to being named the tournament's MVP. The Middletown, Md. native has a double-double in seven of 12 contests this season.
SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS
• No. 16 Purdue stands at 1-1 in the Big Ten after a four set loss to No. 7 Illinois and a four set win over Northwestern. Overall, Purdue is 12-1 with nonconference wins over Notre Dame, Louisville and Alabama.
• The Boilermakers are led by Sherridan Atkinson who has 220 kills, 66 digs and 35 blocks on the season. Blake Mohler ranks second in the conference with a .408 hitting percentage. Purdue as a team is fourth in the conference with 1.76 service aces per set.
• Maryland trails the all-time series with Purdue, 6-1. The Terps earned their first win over Purdue last year in the Pavilion, winning in five sets. Erika Pritchard notched a then career-high 18 kills while hitting .324. Samantha Snyder tallied 41 assists in the win.
UP NEXT
Saturday, September 29 -- vs. Ohio State, 7:00 p.m.
