When the Maryland volleyball team traveled to Michigan State and Michigan on consecutive nights last season, it suffered the sixth and seventh losses of a 10-game skid.
The Terps are on a different track as they approach this weekend’s back-to-back stretch against the No. 16 Spartans and No. 23 Wolverines. Maryland’s 11-0 start was its best since 2005, the last time it reached the NCAA tournament.
After Maryland split its first two Big Ten contests, facing ranked opponents on consecutive nights will test its progress.
“We’re the underdogs,” sophomore outside hitter Gia Milana said. “Technically, we shouldn’t have any pressure to be able to perform, but the next thing is how good can we get from playing these teams, and what can we learn from them.”
The off-court logistics of playing road games on two straight nights require veterans to calm the team. Senior middle blocker Hailey Murray said communication is important during these trips to avoid on-court letdowns.
Maryland features six freshmen going on this type of trip for the first time. The Terps will have two more road back-to-backs this season.
“It’s hard for people to have an appreciation for how hard that is,” coach Steve Aird said. “You have to play as hard as you can and all you worry about all week is the match you’re playing first. Once that’s over, you’ve got to be done with it immediately and start to focus on the next team.”
As a freshman, Milana — who returns to her home state of Michigan for this weekend’s matchups — learned how to handle difficult travel stretches. In three back-to-back away tilts last year, she hit less than .200 in all but one contest.
She now recognizes the importance of treatment before and after games, helping her rebound quickly following short turnarounds. Milana, who was hampered by a shoulder injury last season, uses regular hotel ice baths to combat muscle soreness.
Michigan State knocked off then-No. 5 Wisconsin and then-No. 1 Minnesota in the past week. So competitiveness from Maryland this weekend would demonstrate improvement for the Terps, who lost six road Big Ten matches in straight sets last year.
“We’re still trying to figure out exactly where we fit in, in this conference,” Murray said. “After [last] weekend, we’ve shown we can play Maryland volleyball. I think this week will kind of show us a little bit more about what that is.”
