The Terrapin volleyball team was picked to finish 10th in the ACC in a preseason coaches poll.
Today is their first chance to prove their critics wrong.
The Terps (8-5) play at Boston College today for their first game of the conference schedule.
“We started off last year beating them in the first match of the year, and I don’t know if that necessarily bodes well for us,” coach Tim Horsmon said. “It would be great to start off 1-0, and I think that’s a team that we need to start to beat. … I think it’s going to be a big match in a lot of ways, but I think every match that we play from now on is going to be pretty big for our program.”
A year ago, both the Terps and Boston College looked extremely different. Then, the Terps were 4-8 and the Eagles were 6-6. Coming into this year’s matchup, both teams have surpassed last year’s win total, and Boston College is 10-1, the winners of 10 straight.
“They’re obviously playing well,” Horsmon said. “They’re winning some matches. … I’m assuming they are playing well enough and have some confidence in what they’re doing, and we’re going to have to play well.”
The Terps need to have a strong showing in their first ACC match if they want to show they are no longer the team they were a year ago. Even with an 8-5 record, the real test comes when conference play begins.
Team members certainly understand this sentiment, and they need no additional motivation than proving they are a better team this year than last year. The 10th place prediction has not been revisited since the preseason.
“I think at this point we’re trying to focus on some positive things and how we need to get better,” Horsmon said. “We have enough motivation right now without any bulletin board material. We want to do better, and our kids want to do better. … It’s just a matter of them relaxing and understanding how to score points in big games.”
engelke@umdbk.com
