After beating Iowa twice last season, the Maryland volleyball team was confident it could earn its first Big Ten victory Sept. 28 in Iowa City, Iowa. Instead, the squad lost to the Hawkeyes in straight sets.
Two weeks later, the Terps are still searching for a conference win after losses to then-No. 24 Illinois, then-No. 23 Michigan and then-No. 21 Michigan State.
On Friday night, the players hope to exact revenge against Iowa in a rematch on Xfinity Center’s main floor to begin a three-game home stretch.
“Our team was a little frustrated after the first match against Iowa, which definitely adds to the motivation on Friday,” opposite hitter Angel Gaskin said. “We want to beat them even more.”
Coach Steve Aird believes the Terps’ upcoming slate will help refresh the squad. They haven’t played back-to-back contests in College Park since Aug. 27, and they cherish the chance to stay home.
Aird said it will be nice to read his kids stories before bed, something he missed during the team’s travels. He wants players to enjoy the benefits of being at home, too.
“They are studying and putting in a lot of time watching film, and it’s a full time job,” Aird said. “For them to be at home, sleeping in their own beds and getting extra rest … helps a lot. Playing at home is certainly something you want to take advantage of.”
The Terps (8-10, 0-6 Big Ten) will play in front a larger-than-usual crowd against the Hawkeyes (14-4, 4-2) before Maryland Madness, the annual introduction of the Maryland men’s and women’s basketball teams. Rather than competing in the smaller Xfinity pavilion, the squad will be on the main floor to kick-start the event.
Aird said previous matches in that venue have drawn more than 4,000 people, giving players added excitement for the contest.
“It’s just a completely different atmosphere [than the pavilion],” Gaskin said. “Wider, bigger, more spacious. But at the same time you’re still home, so you have that comfort.”
In order to compete with Iowa, the players know they must avoid the overconfident mindset that plagued them in their first meeting. That shouldn’t be an issue after suffering what Aird called a “thumping” at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Gaskin said that defeat taught the Terps they aren’t the only group improving in the Big Ten. Just because they beat the Hawkeyes twice last season, she added, “doesn’t mean it’s going to be the same situation this year because they definitely got a lot better.”
Still, players are encouraged by their progression since their blowout loss two weeks ago. They won sets in their last three matches against ranked opponents, which Aird claimed was hard to do “if you’re not very good.”
That makes the Terps hopeful they can challenge the Hawkeyes on Friday night.
“We’ve just got to take the next step,” Aird said. “So much of it is under our team’s control. They have to believe and they have to play with energy … to give us the opportunity to be in close matches. When we get there, we have to find a way to put a ball away and win a match.”
