Before the season, Maryland volleyball coach Steve Aird said he didn’t expect his team to top its five Big Ten wins from a year ago.
The Terps opened their 2016 Big Ten slate last weekend with straight set losses to No. 2 Minnesota and No. 3 Wisconsin, which Aird said demonstrated the talent gap between his young squad and the conference’s top programs.
In a matchup with Iowa on Wednesday, however, Maryland hopes its past success at the net can help it earn a victory against a Big Ten opponent it beat twice last year.
“I want us to play clean,” Aird said. “We have a good young team. We have the ability to play pretty well, and we’ve just got to go on the road and put a solid match together.”
Unlike Wisconsin and Minnesota, which rank first and second in the Big Ten in blocks per set, Iowa has struggled in that category. The Hawkeyes rank last in the conference in that category.
Maryland’s rate, however, is fifth in the Big Ten, something Aird hopes to take advantage of Wednesday. Middle blocker Ashlyn MacGregor and opposite hitter Angel Gaskin have combined to form one of the best blocking tandems in the Big Ten. The two rank in the top 10 in blocks per set.
“[MacGregor and Gaskin] have grown a lot,” Aird said. “They put in a lot of hard work in the weight room. Physically they are in a place where they can compete in the conference, and I think they enjoy the skill [of blocking].”
Gaskin attributed their improved play to assistant coach Adam Hughes, who has helped them with their technique. In particular, he has told them to locate opposing hitters and read their shoulders to anticipate moves.
Another component of the duo’s success has been their newfound chemistry. At the net, Gaskin said, it can be difficult to make combined blocks “because you and your middle [blocker] need to have the same eyes to make a blocking move.” So MacGregor and Gaskin have tried to increase their cohesion on the court.
“[We] have definitely worked together a lot on communicating on blocking and staying after practice to work on blocking moves,” Gaskin said. “It’s been one of our main focuses.”
MacGregor said she talks with Gaskin after each point. If one of them touches the ball, they tell the other where they made contact. If they fail to make contact, they discuss where the ball went to make in-game adjustments.
The players have grown closer off the court, too.
“Our relationship is a fun one,” Gaskin said. “We’re always laughing with each other and we’re always talking.”
MacGregor and Gaskin will try to use their blocking ability to help the Terps replicate last season’s undefeated mark against the Hawkeyes, but they maintain the team’s success in the clash isn’t guaranteed.
“Last year’s games are last year’s games,” Gaskin said. “This is a new season, so we’re not saying that just because we beat them twice means we’re definitely going to beat them this year.”
