Oct. 25, 1999
COLLEGE PARK, MD. - After concluding the home portion of its 1999 schedule last week, the University of Maryland volleyball team (11-14, 4-7 ACC) begins a season-high five-match road trip to conclude the regular season. On Friday, the Terps head down to Georgia Tech (13-10, 3-7 ACC) for a 7:30 p.m. contest. The following day, Maryland heads to Clemson (19-1, 9-1 ACC) for a 6 p.m. match.
Scouting Maryland
Maryland enters the week with a record of 11-14 (4-7 ACC) following a three-match home-stand last week. The Terps fell to Duke 15-10, 2-15, 15-3, 15-6 last Tuesday and to Wake Forest 17-15, 15-9, 8-15, 17-15 last Friday before bouncing back on Saturday to defeat Florida State 15-9, 15-13, 15-3.
Senior Beth Murphy (Golden, Colo.) leads the Terps with 360 kills and is averaging a team-high 3.87 kills per game. She needs just 21 kills to tie her career-high of 381 kills in a season, which is the 10th-highest single-season total in school history. In last week's ACC statistics, Murphy ranked seventh in the conference in kills per game (3.88) and third in service aces per game (0.44).
Fellow senior Kate Hannas (Ellicott City, Md.) leads the Terps with 2.60 digs per game and 1.06 total blocks per game. In last week's three matches, sophomore setter Libby Alberts (Eden Prairie, Minn.) averaged 11.54 assists per game.
Scouting Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech enters the week with a 13-10 record (3-7 ACC). In their most recent outing, the Yellow Jackets lost to North Carolina on Saturday 4-15, 15-9, 15-12, 15-9. Three Georgia Tech players posted double-doubles against the Tar Heels, including Ky Bell (12 kills, 16 digs), Teryl Townsend (22 kills, 10 digs) and Maja Pachale (21 kills, 16 digs). Courtney Adler tallied a season-high 55 assists.
In last week's ACC statistics, Pachale led the conference with 4.86 kills per game and 0.55 service aces per game and was ranked eighth with 2.88 digs per game. Anna Nedderman was ranked first in the ACC with 1.62 total blocks per game.
The Series Against Georgia Tech
Maryland leads its all-time series against Georgia Tech 18-9. Earlier this season, the Terps won a five-set thriller over the Yellow Jackets on Oct. 16 at Ritchie Coliseum, 15-13, 13-15, 15-11, 11-15, 15-12. Last season, Georgia Tech swept both matches from Maryland, winning 15-13, 15-7, 10-15, 9-15, 15-13 on Oct. 2 at Ritchie Coliseum, and 15-4, 15-10, 2-15, 15-5 in Atlanta, Ga.
Scouting Clemson
Clemson enters the week with a 19-1 record (9-1 ACC) and is ranked No. 14 in the most recent AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) poll. The Tigers are tied for the conference lead with North Carolina, who they defeated last Friday 8-15, 16-14, 12-15, 15-13, 16-14. Alison Coday turned in a 30-kill, 30-dig performance against the Tar Heels.
In last week's ACC statistics, Cindy Stern led the conference in hitting percentage (.400) and was second with 4.76 kills per game. Jessi Betcher ranked first in the conference with 14.57 assists per game. As a team, Clemson was first in the ACC in hitting percentage (.289), kills per game (17.35), assists per game (15.97) and digs per game (18.57).
The Series Against Clemson
Clemson and Maryland have each won 18 of the previous 36 matches between the two schools. In the first meeting this season, Clemson defeated Maryland 15-9, 15-8, 15-9 at Ritchie Coliseum on Oct. 15. The last Terp victory in the series took place on Oct. 31, 1997 at Ritchie Coliseum, as they won 15-10, 10-15, 15-5, 14-16, 15-9.
Murphy through 22 Matches....
With 25 matches in the books so far this season, and with five more remaining before the ACC Tournament, senior outside hitter Beth Murphy has recorded 360 kills. Former Terp Colleen Hurley's 493 kills in 1990 is the current school record. Last season, Murphy posted 381 kills which is the 10th-best single-season effort in Maryland history.
At her current pace, Murphy remains on track to become just the sixth Maryland player in school history to nail 400 or more kills in a single-season.
Rank No. Name Year
1 493 Colleen Hurley 1990
2 465 Elizabeth Efron 1997
3. 419 Daune Koester 1996
4. 404 Sheila Fearnow 1986
5. 401 Andrea Oakes 1992
10. 381 Beth Murphy 1998
360 Beth Murphy 1999
Alberts Takes Charge
In the past five matches, sophomore setter Libby Alberts has returned to the starting lineup and has played impressively, averaging 11.37 assists per game.
Date Opponent Assists
Oct. 15 Clemson 27
Oct. 16 Georgia Tech 62
Oct. 19 Duke 40
Oct. 22 Wake Forest 54
Oct. 23 Florida State 33
Playing the Percentages
In their win over Florida State on Oct. 23, the Terps as a team had a .386 attack percentage. It marked Maryland's second-highest attack percentage of the year. The Terps turned in a .418 hitting percentage in their win over Louisville on Sept. 11.
Picture Perfect
Junior Maren Stuart (Tampa, Fla.) posted 11 kills in 17 attempts without an error, on her way to a .647 attack percentage against Florida State on Oct. 23. The 11 kills marked her best total in a match in which she has not committed an attack error.
Double Trouble
In each of the past four matches, Kate Hannas has posted 10 or more kills. During that stretch, she has averaged 3.13 kills per game.
Date Opponent Kills
Oct. 16 Georgia Tech 16
Oct. 19 Duke 11
Oct. 22 Wake Forest 13
Oct. 23 Florida State 10
Home Sweet Home
Including two early-season invitationals, Maryland played 19 matches at home this season. That ties the mark for the most number of matches the Terps have ever played at home in a single-season. Maryland also played 19 home matches in 1989.
Year Home Matches
1999 19
1989 19
1997 15
1993 14
1990 14
Taking it to the Limit
Maryland's five-game win over Georgia Tech on Oct. 16 marked the fourth time this season it has gone the full five games in a match. The Terps evened out their record in five-game matches (2-2) with the win over the Yellow Jackets.
Date Opponent Game 5 Result
Sept. 7 James Madison Lost 15-11
Sept. 24 NC State Won 15-11
Oct. 9 Duke Lost 15-17
Oct. 16 Georgia Tech Won 15-12
Five of a Kind
Maryland's Oct. 16 five-game win over Georgia Tech marked the first time this season that five Terps posted 10 or more kills in the same match.
Player Kills
Nnenna Amobi 18
Beth Murphy 16
Kate Hannas 16
Carey Brennan 12
Maren Stuart 10
60 and Counting....
With 62 assists against Georgia Tech Oct. 16, sophomore setter Libby Alberts has now dished out 60 or more assists six times during her career at Maryland. She turned in a season-high 65 assists against Akron on Sept. 4 and a career-high 71 assists against NC State on Oct. 7, 1998.
Date Opponent Assists
Oct. 7, 1998 NC State 71
Nov. 13, 1998 Florida State 66
Sept. 4, 1998 Akron 65
Oct. 16, 1999 Georgia Tech 62
Nov. 20, 1998 Virginia 61
Sept. 1, 1998 Villanova 60
