After a shaky performance against Michigan State last Friday, Maryland volleyball middle blocker Jada Gardner called her captain, Katie Myers.
Gardner posted one kill, one error and one block assist in the three-set defeat. Myers, who watched the match in College Park, is sidelined for the rest of the year with a knee injury suffered during the Maryland Challenge in mid-September.
In Myers’ place, Gardner has made adjustments as she plays an integral role in the Terps’ middle blocking rotation. Myers has served as a mentor for Gardner, and the phone call between matches aided the Cibolo, Texas, native to post a career-high nine kills in Maryland’s four-set loss to the Wolverines.
“[Myers is] always kind of chirping in [Gardner’s] ear, making sure she remembers different things,” assistant coach Kristin Carpenter said. “[Myers] wants [Gardner] to succeed like no other.”
Gardner has filled in for the redshirt freshman captain with class, Carpenter said. But there’s still a range of aspects in her game she needs to develop. As an outside hitter in high school, she has attacking experience that translates well to middle blocker in college. But Gardner wants to improve her blocking, which was a key part of Myers’ savvy.
In the Terps’ first 10 matches with Myers, they averaged just under 10 blocks per game. Since Myers’ injuries, they averaged under seven blocks for the last six games.
“I have to get used to the faster pace in college,” Gardner said.
After losing to Michigan State in straight sets, coach Steve Aird wanted to involve the middle blockers more.
Against the Spartans, middle blockers Hailey Murray and Gardner combined for three kills on 14 total attacks. The following night, Gardner finished with nine kills on 17 attacks, while Murray notched four in 20 attempts. Myers led the team in blocks before her injury, so the Terps will rely on Gardner and Murray as they dive into the thick of Big Ten play.
“All the best teams in the country have a presence out of the middle of the court,” Aird said. “It’s something we need to keep working on, but both Jada and Hailey are more than capable of scoring in the Big Ten.”
During practices, Myers enters on crutches and stands to the side, watching her replacement train. Myers reminds Gardner about her blocking assignments and critiques her hand placement. Myers stresses communication with the setters during attacking drills.
Six matches into her starting role, Gardner feels more at ease calling for the ball. Likewise, she feels her setters trust her more.
During last week’s practice, she took the advice from teammates to jump faster before attacks, establishing a target for sets. Opposite hitter Angel Gaskin said after the Michigan match that Gardner focused on wanting the ball all the time, and she was rewarded with a .471 hitting percentage.
“She is a high-flyer, she’s got a super-fast arm and is a really fun player to watch,” Carpenter said. “Her athleticism is what she does best.”
