When Maryland volleyball opened conference play last month against Rutgers, four of the six Terp starters were appearing in the first Big Ten match of their career.

Even setter Nicole Alford, a sophomore transfer from Georgia Tech, was making a tough transition into the nation’s preeminent volleyball conference.

Now sitting at 3-3 in Big Ten play, the newcomers are beginning to adjust to the challenge of the conference and continue to play a crucial role in the Terps’ season.

“There’s a lot more physical girls, it’s a much bigger conference,” Alford said. “It was really exciting to be able to play in it and be a part of it.”

[Read more: Emma Schriner has stepped up for Maryland volleyball in Jada Gardner’s absence]

Alford leads the Terps with 184 assists in conference play, while freshmen Rainelle Jones and Allegra Rivas lead the team in blocks and digs, respectively.

No Terp had a more jarring introduction to the Big Ten than outside hitter Emma Schriner. Both a freshman and a late addition to the Terps, Schriner made her conference debut in just her third appearance and first start of her career.

[Read more: Maryland volleyball sweeps Rutgers for second time this season]

Despite her inexperience, Schriner has 23 kills and 11 blocks in her first four starts.

“The game’s a lot faster, the competition is a lot better,” Schriner said. “You go from being a big fish in a small pond to a pond full off all big fish.”

Maryland’s .500 conference record is weighed down by three losses to ranked opponents, including two in very difficult road environments at No. 7 Minnesota and No. 9 Penn State.

The Terps did sweep the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, but their away matches won’t get any easier from here, as Maryland will travel to face four more ranked opponents this season.

“It’s always difficult in a road match, not having your fans there so you have to make your own energy,” Alford said.

While the stacked Big Ten presents a difficult schedule for the Terps, coach Adam Hughes has looked at the challenge as an opportunity for the Terps to learn from their high-quality opponents.

Hughes, in his first year as head coach, has been trying to guide his young team through their daunting schedule and thinks the team is no longer scared or in awe of the rest of the conference.

“They’ve been coming along,” Hughes said. “This group is learning what it takes. I’m excited to keep going. … You know who opponents have and what they do and now it’s can you execute and get the job done.”