Maryland’s perfect run to start the season came to an end on Friday night when they fell to 9th-ranked Washing 0-3 in College Park. In spite of the loss, Maryland is still just 1 win shy of matching their win total from all of 2017 with an 11-1 record as they head toward the start of Big Ten play next Wednesday.
All is not well in Maryland, however, as Katie Myers is back on the bench dealing with an injury to her left knee – the same knee that cost her all of last season.
Myers was named a cqaptain in spite of having played just 2 sets for Maryland at the time. Myers missed the first 9 games of last season while recovering a torn ACL on her left knee, and just 2 sets into her career (against then-#5 Washington) last season, she re-injured her knee and her season was over. She was able to get the year of eligibility back in that time and did enough to earn herself the honor of captaincy.
“[The captaincy] is about decision making, it’s about lifestyle, it’s about competitiveness,” head coach Steve Aird said at the time of her selection. “If I needed someone to represent me, and talk to people about what I believe in, what I think this program stands for and how we operate, I think [Katie] really aligned to all those things.”
Myers started the first 10 games of the 2017 season for Maryalnd at middle blocker, recording 58 kills, 5 solo blocks, and 38 block assists in that period for a total of 2.5 points/set. She had ranked 3rd on the team in points before her injury, and 1st in total blocks.
True freshman Jada Gardner has started the team’s two matches, against Oklahoma and Washington, while Myers’ has been out. Gardner had 5 kills against OU and 3 against Washington while recording 6 block assists and 1 solo block. With Gardner the Terrapins lose something on the serve – Myers already has 13 aces this season – though both play 6 rotations.
There’s been no word yet about how long the newest injury might keep Myers out. She left the team’s upset of USC on Thursday late in the match with what appeared to be a problem with her kneee and later returned. By Friday, however, the knee was wrapped in ice during warmups.
Maryland’s next match will be against Ohio State in Columbus on Wednesday – kicking off a 4-game road-run before they next play at home.
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