The Terrapin volleyball team tried to get a head start on its future by starting three freshmen in both of this weekend's matches.
But solid outings by the first-year players were not enough in the team's losses to Virginia 3-1 on Saturday and to Virginia Tech 3-0 on Friday. The winless home weekend extended a four-game slide and tied the Terps (5-12, 1-4 ACC) for 10th place out of 12 in the ACC.
"I think, through the first couple games [against Virginia], we competed well," head coach Tim Horsmon said. "You saw what we were capable of when we played hard. ... But we never really stopped that momentum from building. We have to start doing the little things better and develop leadership on the floor."
Though Horsmon had changed the lineup often throughout the season, the first-year head coach started three freshmen in only one other match before this weekend.
But after outside hitter Maddi Lee's breakout game against N.C. State last weekend in which she had 12 kills and five blocks off the bench, she joined regular starters setter Sharon Strizak and middle blocker Lisa Scott in the Terp lineup.
The Terps started five freshmen and sophomores in both matches, compared to just two juniors and seniors.
"We're going with the group we think will put us in the best shape to win from week to week," Horsmon said. "We're looking for a couple of players to come out and be consistent with what they're doing and lead us on the court."
No players were made available for comment.
Against Virginia (10-7, 2-3), Scott led with 10 kills and five blocks. Lee was second in kills with nine. Strizak had a team-high 18 assists. But accompanying these were miscommunications and missed balls, and the Cavaliers won 3-1 (26-24, 19-25, 25-16, 25-19).
The Terps gave up the first set by allowing Virginia to go on multiple runs, and lost an 11-7 lead in the second set the same way. But the Terps scored nine of the last 12 points in the set and pulled away with a win.
Rather than building momentum, the team allowed the Cavaliers to build early leads in the third and fourth sets and dominate late to win the sets and the match.
When the Terps played the Hokies, again the younger players led the way. But while the lineup infused with fresh talent and provided a change of pace, youth was not a cure-all for the team's ills, and Virginia Tech (13-2, 4-0 ACC) swept the Terps 25-19, 25-19, 25-23.
Lee led the Terps with seven kills and .357 hitting percentage to go with three blocks. Scott had seven kills and four blocks and Strizak led the team with 14 assists. Sophomores Bethany Springer and Brittney Grove contributed 35 and 17 digs, respectively, over the weekend.
"I think especially Maddi and Lisa work hard and work on improving every day," Horsmon said. "They have the character traits, the intangible things and the physical ability to develop into good volleyball players."
While the development of the underclassmen this weekend gave a glimpse of the team's potential, the Terps are one quarter of the way through the ACC schedule and still waiting for this promise to translate into results.
"We have to improve - not just the younger players; every player we have on our team," Horsmon said. "We didn't play great volleyball, but they had a lot of energy and they were fun to watch. We just need to build on that."
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