Coach Steve Aird talks with his team during the Terps’ 3-1 loss to Nebraska at Xfinity Center on Nov. 14, 2015.
The 2015 season began on a high note for the Terrapins volleyball team. The Terps topped their six-game winning streak to start last season by reeling off nine straight victories before falling to George Washington on Sept. 12.
But in that match, the Terps also lost middle blocker Kelsey Hrebenach for the season when she suffered a torn ACL in the first set. They lost outside hitter Emily Fraik, who doubled as a captain, to the same injury against Washington two games later.
“Emily and Kelsey, their careers were both obviously cut short by injuries,” coach Steve Aird said. “But both brought so many things to the table that the program valued highly.”
Aird acknowledged the Terps’ lack of depth before the year, so two season-ending injuries further depleted the team’s lineup. As a result, the Terps were forced to rely on several freshmen en route to their third straight losing season.
“We’ve got four freshman getting playing time, and they’re still learning so much out there,” Aird said. “They need to get the experience to continue to get better in this conference.”
READ MORE: Adreené Elliott leads Terps to win in season finale
Without the senior duo on the court, Aird used the following few weeks to tinker with his lineup. He moved setter Abby Bentz to the front line to fill Fraik’s role for a few matches. Then he placed opposite hitter Angel Gaskin into the lineup, where she would remain for the remainder for the season.
This new-look group struggled against Big Ten competition — the Terps dropped their first nine conference matches — but it broke through Oct. 24 with a four-set win over Rutgers after falling to the Scarlet Knights three days prior. And two weeks later, the Terps upset then-No. 12 Ohio State.
In a straight-set sweep, the Terps dominated the Buckeyes behind the strong offense of outside hitters Adreené Elliott and Liz Twilley, who combined for 28 kills. Libero Kelsey Wicinski, meanwhile, paced the Terps defensively with a team-high 14 digs. The result marked the program’s first victory over a ranked squad since Oct. 17, 2010.
“Absolutely amazing,” Wicinski said. “So many people around here are so supportive, and they really wanted us to win. Speechless — I don’t even know what to say.”
In giving significant playing time to four freshmen, Aird began to see the results he and his coaching staff intended. While the Terps lost their next four matches, each of which came against a top-20 team, Aird continued to stress the importance of skill development and effort instead of results.
“We’ve gotten so much better each game,” Wicinski said. “We work hard every single point. Just breaking the rock, and breaking the rock and breaking the rock.”
The Terps finished the season this past week with back-to-back victories against Iowa and Northwestern, sending the graduating seniors out on a positive note.
And they’ll look to use their first winning streak to end their season since 2006 as a springboard into the offseason, which Aird considers the most important time for player growth. He’ll miss the leadership of his veteran players, but he’s confident the incoming and current freshmen can help the Terps build on this past season.
“It’s been another huge step forward for the program,” Aird said. “As much as I want to win every match, with the injures we’ve had and the youth of the team, we’ve out-kicked our coverage in a lot of areas. The energy around the program is really good right now.”
