With only five games remaining in the season, the Terrapin volleyball team cannot have a winning campaign. It would be easy for the Terps to label the year a disappointment, show less effort in practice and look forward to the off-season.
But for the Terps, that idea seems ludicrous.
“The only times I’m disappointed is when we’re not getting better,” coach Tim Horsmon said. “You know, we don’t talk about that. We talk about individually and as a team getting better and being successful. The kids aren’t less motivated now than they were before.”
But the fact of the matter is the Terps (11-17, 3-12 ACC) won’t be able to reach the .500 mark this season, and with three tough opponents left — North Carolina, Miami and Florida State — two more wins seems like the most realistic result.
Even with the bleak season and daunting remaining schedule, the Terps say they have not witnessed any drop off in motivation. They want to improve for this year and next.
“All of our teammates, even the ones that aren’t returning next year, still have a motivation to get better and to improve their volleyball skills,” middle blocker Lisa Scott said. “Just because it’s the end of the year, we’re still pushing. Especially with this coaching staff. They won’t let you just drop off and not be motivated.”
The team is not planning on making any lineup changes, and it views its final five games as a “new season.” The Terps want to finish the home stretch with some much-needed victories.
“We realize that we’re not the top team in the ACC,” Scott said. “So the only thing we have right now is to get better and try to win some games.”
But, if the Terps hope to come away with a win this weekend — they host North Carolina (14-12, 10-5) tonight and N.C. State (7-23, 0-15) Sunday — they must learn how to close out games.
Against Georgia Tech last Sunday, the team led in every set. In the second set, the Terps were up 23-21, two points away from tying the match at a set apiece. But the Yellow Jackets went on a four-point run and ended up winning the match.
“When you’re up 23-21, you need to win that game,” Horsmon said. “We need players to finish points and games, and I think if we do that, we’ll start to get there. It’s just a maturation process.”
If the team is able to come away with some wins over its final five games — the Terps beat both N.C. State and Boston College earlier this season — players will be able to leave with some positive feelings and high spirits. That’s something they haven’t done since upsetting Virginia Tech on Oct. 25.
“It’s really important because, every win that we get, every time that we play well, it’s a morale booster,” Scott said. “Especially for our confidence — our individual confidence and our team confidence.”
engelke@umdbk.com
