When the Maryland volleyball team played at then-No. 4 Kansas on Sept. 2, marking the first of 14 matches against ranked opponents this season, coach Steve Aird acknowledged his young squad would find it difficult to earn victories.

The Terps lost that contest in straight sets, a result they suffered 11 more times over the course of the campaign, but throughout their struggles, Aird emphasized consistent improvements.

He wanted his players to focus on becoming 1 percent better every day so they could find success in future seasons. Even though the Terps finished 12-20 and won one fewer Big Ten match than it did last year, they felt the team made positive strides.

“We wanted to win more, and we left a lot of games on the table that we could have closed out,” opposite hitter Angel Gaskin said. “But that’s a lesson learned. It wasn’t about the wins and losses. … It was more about getting better for the future.”

Maryland showed improvement after starting 0-9 in Big Ten play. The team finished 4-7, including victories over then-No. 19 Ohio State and Indiana, [which finished with a winning record]. Aird said the change was an encouraging sign for the program’s direction.

The Terps’ core of 10 underclassmen powered the turnaround.

Freshman outside hitter Gia Milana, who entered the season as Maryland’s highest-ever ranked recruit, led Big Ten freshmen with 3.91 kills per set and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for her performances against then-No. 10 Penn State on Nov. 11 and Rutgers on Nov. 13.

Against the Nittany Lions, she recorded a team-high 20 kills.

Outside hitters Angel Gaskin and Liz Twilley, both sophomores, were second and third, respectively, in that category for Maryland.

Meanwhile, sophomore libero Kelsey Wicinski, who was named to all-tournament teams in each of Maryland’s four non-conference competitions, led the Terps with 4.22 digs per set, ranking third in the conference.

With those players set to return, along with starting junior middle blocker Hailey Murray, Aird is excited to see their progress.

The Terps, however, will lose one starter, middle blocker Ashlyn MacGregor, to graduation.

MacGregor, who became the third player in program history to reach 500 career blocks, served as a leader for Maryland’s inexperienced players, so the Terps took pride in winning her final game in College Park.

“It’s been a standard that we just don’t lose on Senior Night because we want to send our seniors out the right way,” Gaskin said. “It’s something that has to get done. It’s done out of pure emotion and care for our seniors.”

Aird praised MacGregor for how she always “got the most out of what she has” through hard work, which influenced many of the younger players.

Her competitive drive and leadership helped the Terps take at least one set in six of their matches against ranked opponents this year.

Next season, Gaskin said she wants the Terps to win those contests and qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005. Maryland will receive a boost from perhaps its best-ever recruiting class, which includes a record four Under Armour All-Americans.

Aird expects the Terps to meet at his house in late November next year to watch the tournament’s selection show. He compared the team’s trajectory to the NFL’s Oakland Raiders, who are 9-2 this season after going more than a decade without a winning season.

Last year, when the Raiders went 7-9, Aird remembered coach Jack Del Rio said the Raiders needed a season to learn how to compete.

“I think that’s exactly it,” Aird said. “I think this year … we played really hard and the kids learned how to compete.

“Next year, it’s winning time.”