The Terps look to bounce back at home.
Maryland volleyball head coach Adam Hughes said his team’s defeat at No. 22 Ohio State last week was probably the worst performance he’s seen since he’s been at Maryland.
After getting swept by the Buckeyes, the Terps return home looking to right the ship.
Maryland will face its third ranked conference opponent in the past five games Friday night when it takes on No. 16 Minnesota. The Terps will return to the XFINITY Pavilion the following night to take on Indiana.
Friday’s game will begin at 8 p.m. and air on Big Ten Network, while Saturday’s contest is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
No. 16 Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-6, 2-2 Big Ten)
2022 record: 22-9 (15-5 Big Ten)
Head coach Keegan Cook is in his first year with Minnesota after leading Washington to eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances (six Sweet 16s, four Elite Eights and one Final Four) and four Pac-12 regular-season championships. Cook is a three-time AVCA Region Coach of the Year and was the 2020-21 Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
The Golden Gophers began their season with a sweep of then-No. 15 Baylor and a win against then-No. 6 Oregon shortly after. They haven’t lost to an unranked conference opponent yet, and will look to continue their ascension in the Big Ten and national rankings this weekend.
Minnesota comes into College Park with a flawless 18-0 all-time record against Maryland.
Players to watch
McKenna Wucherer, sophomore outside hitter, No. 3 — After being named to the All-Big Ten freshman team, Wucherer is on a tear to start her sophomore season. The Wisconsin native already earned Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge MVP and is just outside the top 10 in the conference in kills (159).
Strength
Blocks against. Despite having faced eight ranked opponents in its first 12 games, Minnesota is one of the few teams in the conference to have allowed under 100 combined total blocks. Working around the defense has been one of the Gophers’ strengths all season.
Weakness
Attacking numbers. Despite being a top 25 team in the nation, Minnesota ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten in both kills and assists. That is partially due to its lower number of sets played, but Minnesota’s offense has struggled when top scorers Wucherer, Taylor Landfair and Lydia Grote are not contributing.
Indiana Hoosiers (12-5, 2-2 Big Ten)
2022 record: 16-16 (9-11 Big Ten)
Indiana won nine of its last 11 games, carrying momentum into a grueling conference schedule. Ten of its 12 wins on the season have come by way of a sweep.
Head coach Steve Aird is in his sixth season with the program after helping Penn State to two national championships as an assistant coach. Last season, Aird led the Hoosiers to nine conference wins for the first time since 2010. Indiana also finished eighth in the Big Ten, its highest finish since 2014.
Players to watch
Kaley Rammelsberg, graduate middle blocker, No. 18 — Rammelsberg has been one of Indiana’s best players on both sides of the ball. She ranks first on the team in blocks (57) and second in kills (121). Rammelsberg recorded 30 kills in four Big Ten matchups, with 12 coming against Iowa.
Strength
Offense. The Hoosiers rank first in the conference in points (1,017) and services aces (117), second in kills (746) and third in assists (673). Five different Hoosiers have recorded over 100 kills this season, headlined by junior outside hitter Mady Saris with 144.
Weakness
Playing from behind. In Indiana’s five losses, it showed a lack of ability to fight back. Two of the Hoosiers’ losses were sweeps, and the other three ended 3-1.
If Maryland is able to take a two-set lead, that might signal the end for Indiana.
Three things to watch
1. Can the Terps bounce back? Maryland hit season-highs in unfavorable categories against Ohio State. The Terps had an uncharacteristic 30 attack errors and managed a -.098 hitting percentage. The Terps have relied very heavily on their attack all season, so they’ll need to put last week’s matchup in the rearview.
2. Will Schnitta be back to form? After being the spark of Maryland’s offense throughout the opening games of the season, Samantha Schnitta logged just four kills in only two sets against Ohio State before being benched.
3. Will Maryland’s defense to step up? Maryland has prided itself on its blocking in previous years, and is once again in the top-two in the Big Ten in terms of total blocks. If the attack is sloppy again, look for the Terps to try to rally with their defense.