Opposing fans were in awe when Maryland volleyball middle blocker Hailey Murray spiked a ball in warm ups before the team’s game against Sacred Heart on Saturday evening.
One Sacred Heart supporter turned to another and mouthed the word “wow.”
“Did you see that?” he asked another fan.
It was that type of athleticism the Terps displayed at the net throughout the Maryland Invite to overpower Eastern Michigan, Delaware State and Sacred Heart. The youthful squad won each game in straight sets to start the season 3-0 for the third consecutive year.
“The youngsters continue to impress,” coach Steve Aird said. “They know the season is long, and we have some unbelievable matches that we’re going to have to be ready for.”
The Terps featured underclassmen such as opposite hitter Angel Gaskin, outside hitter Liz Twilley and outside hitter Gia Milana in prominent roles, so Aird stressed the importance of starting the season on a positive note.
“With a young team, I think part of it is learning how to win,” Aird said.
Milana, a freshman who doubles as the program’s best-ever recruit, provided some memorable moments during her first weekend in College Park.
In the second set against Eastern Michigan on Friday, she delivered a kill after a long rally to give the Terps a 18-16 lead.
Moments later, Milana turned to her teammates and pumped her fist. They smiled back at her as she joined the huddle.
Milana recorded a team-leading 34 kills over the weekend, and Aird has praised her eagerness to constantly improve.
“[Milana] is an experienced kid,” Aird said. “But she knows she’s at the beginning of a very long journey.”
Though Maryland leaned on its young core in its three weekend wins, it also received a boost from a veteran middle blocker.
Senior Ashlyn MacGregor recorded 21 total blocks over the weekend and notched a career-high 14 blocks against Sacred Heart.
“She’s a very good blocker,” Aird said. “She’s come a long way during her career here and I think she was comfortable with the assignments.”
The coach acknowledged that MacGregor and her teammates must continue to improve in order to be competitive against more athletic teams. After defeating Sacred Heart, his post-game speech focused less on the Terps’ success this past weekend and more on how they can improve in the long term.
But Aird said he’s confident his team can take those steps forward. He’s looking forward to watching his young squad grow over the next few months.
“This is a really young team and young program that’s in the next few years going to be really good,” the coach said. “It’s going to be more and more exciting as we go.”
