Maryland volleyball is enduring its worst season in program memory. The Terps have won just one conference game, but their defense has been a bright spot amid a dismal campaign.
Coach Adam Hughes’ team leads the Big Ten in blocks and blocks assists. It’s also a top 10 in the conference for total digs, which has kept them in games despite a struggling offense.Maryland is also the only Big Ten team with two players in the conference’s top 10. Middle blocker duo Duru Gökçen and Eva Rohrbach have excelled defensively, combining for 191 blocks this year.
Rohrbach has led the Terps in blocks for the past two seasons, and now she’s on track for her most productive campaign yet. On a Maryland roster filled with transfers, the junior has been a constant for Hughes’ team.
“[Eva’s] our sturdy rock,” Hughes said.“When we need a play, she’s ready to go make it.”
Her recent performance against Illinois is emblematic of her skillset. She recorded seven kills, five digs and 11 block assists in the Terps’ 3-1 loss.
[Here’s how Maryland volleyball found its first conference win last week]
While Rohrbach has been a steady presence in College Park, Gökçen has burst onto the scene in her sophomore campaign. The middle blocker — who has dominated at the net for Maryland all season — was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in September.
She was pivotal in the Terps’ lone Big Ten win over Rutgers with six block assists and six kills. Gökçen ended the match with the team’s final kill, cementing her best game of the year.
“In volleyball, your middle [blockers] are your middle linebackers, they’re the ones who kind of run the defense for the most part.” Hughes said.
Maryland’s blocking numbers are the most impressive element of its team, but the Terps’ defense has shined in other aspects.
Their defensive unit is predicated on disrupting the opponent’s offensive rhythm.
[Maryland volleyball’s dismal offense hit a new low on West Coast trip]
Maryland held a dynamic Michigan State offense to a season-low .104 hitting percentage earlier this month. The Terps also limited Penn State to .028 points below its season average and forced Rutgers to convert just .157 of its hits, a 0.074 point improvement from the team’s meeting earlier in the season.
But the strong efforts haven’t translated into wins. In the Terps’ losses to ranked opponents Nebraska, Wisconsin, USC and UCLA, their offense hit below the .200 mark and allowed all four opponents to finish with a .300 hitting percentage or better.
The offense and defense work in tandem. Maryland’s offense has generated little pressure on opponents’ defenses in several games, allowing teams to control the match.
“Part of us getting better defensively is actually improving offensively,” Hughes said. “Why that matters is that you’re in less of a defensive battle.”
Even with some uncharacteristic struggles, Maryland’s defense has been the team’s saving grace in another stagnant Big Ten showing. Maryland is at risk of not winning five conference games for first time since 2014.
As the Terps enter the back half of their Big Ten slate, their defense will likely determine how the season concludes.
