NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Nov. 10, 2016) – The Rutgers women’s volleyball team is set to cross paths with Ohio State for the first time this season while matching up with Maryland for the second time. The Scarlet Knights meet the Buckeyes on Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. and the Terps on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 12 p.m.
Game 1: Rutgers at Ohio State – 7 p.m. Live Stats | BTN Plus
Game 2: Rutgers at Maryland – 12 p.m. Live Stats | BTN Plus
RU’S LAST TIME OUT
Rutgers (4-23, 0-14 Big Ten) suffered a pair of losses over the weekend, dropping contests to Iowa (3-0) and top-ranked, reigning National Champion Nebraska (3-0). The Scarlet Knights match against the Cornhuskers marked RU’s 10th match against a ranked foe and fourth against a team in the top five this season.
Mikaela Matthews moved into the top-five on the all-time career blocks list, ranking fourth with 359 total career blocks. Matthews sits at ninth in the Big Ten with 1.18 blocks per set, while Jasmine Stackhouse follows at 11th with 1.13 stops per frame
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
After sitting at 22nd nationally, Ohio State (15-11, 5-9 Big Ten) dropped from the rankings with losses to No. 3 Wisconsin (3-0) on Wednesday and Indiana (3-1) on Saturday. The Buckeyes continue to receive votes in this week’s poll. OSU’s most notable win of the season is a four-set triumph over No. 1 Nebraska, the Cornhuskers lone loss of the 2016 campaign.
Taylor Sandbothe ranks sixth in the conference with 3.87 kills per set. Sandbothe also sits at 12th in blocks per set with 1.11. Valeria Leon ranks sixth in digs per set (4.02) and Taylor Hughes sits at fifth in service aces per set with a total of 93 on the season. Hughes ranks eighth with 10.37 assists per set.
The Buckeyes lead the all-time series 5-1 over the Scarlet Knights. In 2015, OSU picked up two wins against RU, ranking 12th and 16th, respectively, in the meetings.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
Following a win at Rutgers, Maryland (10-16, 2-12 Big Ten) earned its second conference win of the season against then-No. 19 Ohio State. UMD then entered a three-match losing streak, falling to OSU (3-0), Purdue (3-1) and No. 1 Nebraska (3-0).
Ashlyn MacGregor ranks third in the league with 1.43 blocks per set. Kelsey Wicinski sits at third in digs per set with 4.28. Gia Milana joins her teammates in the top five, ranking fourth in kills per set (3.99).
The programs met in late October of this season, when the Terps earned a three-set win over the Scarlet Knights by close set scores of 25-20, 25-19 and 26-24. Lauren Cloyd led Rutgers with nine kills in RU’s best offensive performance in a Big Ten match this year. Rutgers holds a 14-9 lead in the all-time series, while Maryland owns a 4-1 record in matchups as Big Ten foes.
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News courtesy of Rutgers Athletics.
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