After falling in a close five-set battle against Michigan State, Maryland volleyball looks to get back in the win column when it heads to the West Coast to take on two ranked teams.
In the past, Maryland
has struggled against No. 22 USC, with a 1-5 all-time record. Its second matchup against No. 25 UCLA has been an even matchup historically.
Thursday night’s contest against USC will start at 10 p.m. and will stream on Big Ten Plus. Saturday night’s game against UCLA will start at 10:30 p.m. and air on Big Ten Network.
No. 22 USC Trojans (13-5, 4-4 Big Ten)
2024 record: 22-10, 13-7 Big Ten
Led by six-year head coach Brad Keller, the Trojans have had a strong season. They played to a 9-1 record during their nonconference slate, with seven games finishing in four sets or fewer.
However, it has been a different story in conference play — the Trojans are 4-4 in the Big Ten. Still, USC is a force to be reckoned with, coming off a major road victory against then-No. 12 Wisconsin.
Players to know
Reese Messer, freshman setter, No. 3 — Messer leads the Trojans with 687 assists, good for third-best in the conference. Messer has been pivotal in setting up the Trojans’ offense in her first collegiate season.
London Wijay, redshirt sophomore outside hitter, No. 2 — Wijay leads the Trojans with 201 kills this season. She was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team in 2023, and has brought her spark back this season after only playing seven games last year.
Strength
Blocks. The Trojans have done an excellent job defensively —- they’re second in blocks and blocks per set in the conference. Expect Thursday’s result to rely heavily on which team’s offense can sneakily propel them to sizable runs.
Weakness
Digs. Despite notching plenty of kills, USC’s kill shots don’t have the power for opponents to panic on defense. Maryland will look to savor any shot opportunity to save.
No. 25 UCLA Bruins (11-7, 5-3 Big Ten)
2024 record: 14-15, 8-12 Big Ten
Led by third-year head coach Alfee Reft, the Bruins have been looking to bounce back after a roller-coaster 2024 season. So far, they’ve done that, despite starting the campaign off with a 6-4 nonconference record.
The Bruins have built more momentum over the course of conference play, with wins against then-No. 15 Penn State and a sweep of the Hawkeyes in Iowa.
Players to know
Lola Schumacher, sophomore defensive specialist/libero, No. 30 — Transferring in after an All-Big Ten freshman team campaign with Wisconsin, Schumacher leads the Bruins with 4.30 digs per set, best in the conference. Her ability to save the defense will be crucial.
Marianna Singletary, redshirt junior blocker, No. 11 — the Texas transfer has been a dual threat for the Bruins. She leads the team with 85 blocks, good for fifth in the conference.
Strength
Digs. UCLA has been able to survive sets due to its excellent defense on kill shots; it’s the third-best team in the conference by that metric. Maryland will need to attack the small, soft spots with power to challenge UCLA in this regard.
Weakness
Attacking Percentage. Some of UCLA’s shot attempts have been wild thus far, as it holds the third-lowest attacking percentage mark in the Big Ten.
Three things to watch
1. Will we see more than three sets against USC? All of Maryland’s historical matchups against USC have ended in three sets. Its only victory against USC was in 2017, and it will hope to repeat that result — though doing it in a sweep may be difficult.
2. A defensive battle with the Bruins. Three of the top five blockers in the conference will be showcased in the team’s matchup against UCLA.
3. Searching for a road win in conference play. Maryland has yet to earn its first win on the road in conference play. It will have the opportunity to rewrite that script this weekend.
