Maryland volleyball preview: Illinois and Iowa

Written By ApurbaDa October 19, 2023 Add Comment

The Terps look to climb back to .500 in conference play.

After dropping both its matches last weekend to Northwestern and No. 1 Wisconsin, Maryland volleyball will look to snap a three-game losing streak this weekend, when it takes on Illinois and Iowa. Both the Hawkeyes and Illini have struggled in Big Ten play this season.

Maryland will take on Illinois on Friday night at 7 p.m. and Iowa on Saturday night at 7 p.m.. Both matches will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

Illinois Fighting Illini (8-10, 3-5 Big Ten)

2022 Record: (15-15, 10-10 Big Ten)

Head coach Chris Tamas has made a big impact on the program in his seven years at the helm. The 2018 AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year has a 115-67 (.632) overall record and a 69-49 (.585) conference record. Tamas has led Illinois to four NCAA Tournament appearances and a Final Four appearance in 2018. During his tenure, Tamas has developed three All-Americans and five all-conference selections.

Player to Watch

Raina Terry, senior outside hitter, No. 12 — A unanimous All-Big Ten first team selection in 2022, Terry is well on her way to managing over 400 kills for the the third year in a row. Her 334 kills this season are first in the Big Ten and tied for fifth in the country. The Ohio native has recorded double-digit kills in all but one match this season and has racked up 20-plus kills in six matches.

Strength

Blocking. Like Maryland, Illinois has been one of the best blocking teams in the Big Ten. The Illini are sixth in the conference in total blocks (170.0), fourth in block assists (280), and fifth in solo blocks (30). Led by graduate middle blocker Kennedy Collins and freshman middle blocker Cari Bohm, this Illini duo could pose a dual threat against the Terps.

Weakness

Hitting percentage. Despite having the fifth-most total attacks in the Big Ten, Illinois has struggled to capitalize on its chances. It has the second-worst hitting percentage in the Big Ten (.205), only behind Michigan (.162).

Iowa Hawkeyes (8-12, 0-8 Big Ten)

2022 Record: (10-21, 4-16 Big Ten)

Head coach Jim Barnes brings a wealth of experience in his second year with the Hawkeyes. With 26 years of head coaching experience, he has a 465-366 (.560) career record. In his first year with Iowa, Barnes led the program to its best record since 2019.

Player to watch

Caitlan Buettner, fifth-year outside hitter, No. 7 — Buettner is Iowa’s best offensive weapon, recording 234 kills. Since transferring from Texas State, she has recorded double-digit kills in half of Iowa’s conference matches. Despite being 0-8 in Big Ten matches, the back-to-back Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament selection has been a bright spot for the Hawkeyes.

Strength

Service aces and digs. The Hawkeyes are tied for third in the conference in aces (116) and first in digs (1127). Maryland has struggled defending serves at times, one of the worst teams in the Big Ten when it comes to service aces allowed.

Weakness

Hitting percentage. Very similar to Illinois, Iowa is ranked first in the Big Ten in total attacks, but is third-worst in hitting percentage (.206).

Three Things to Watch

1. Can Maryland turn the corner? Now on its longest losing streak of the season, Maryland’s upcoming matches are against opponents that have faired similarly, if not worse, in the conference. The weekend presents a prime opportunity for Maryland to get back to .500.

2. Who will step up on offense? Albeit against the No. 1 team in the country, no Terp recorded more than five kills against Wisconsin. Can someone besides Sam Csire and Laila Ivey contribute?

3. How will the Terps respond if down? Maryland has seen itself playing from behind recently, winning just one of the past 10 sets. If the Terps once again find themselves trailing against an inferior opponent, it will be interesting to see if they can rally.

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