Oct. 30, 2003

Season Stats

CLEMSON (14-12, 3-7) at MARYLAND (20-4, 9-1)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2003 * 7:00 p.m.
COMCAST CENTER GYMNASIUM, COLLEGE PARK, Md.
Livestats

NO. 4 GEORGIA TECH (22-0, 10-0) at MARYLAND (20-4, 9-1)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2003 * 7:00 p.m.
COMCAST CENTER GYMNASIUM, COLLEGE PARK, Md.
Radio Broadcast | Livestats

The University of Maryland volleyball team (20-4, 9-1 ACC) returns home to Comcast Center Gymnasium for two conference battles with Clemson and No. 4 Georgia Tech riding a seven-match win streak. The Terrapins are coming off a victory at Duke, where they beat the Blue Devils, 3-1, to remain alone in second place in the ACC behind undefeated Georgia Tech. For the third straight week, the Terps are receiving votes in the USA TODAY/AVCA Coaches' Poll. With 20 wins for the year, Maryland has surpassed its win totals from last season (the team finished 2002 with an 18-16 overall record, 7-9 in the ACC) and has recorded its first 20-win season since 1997.

Happy Halloween!
Since Maryland volleyball started playing under NCAA rules in 1981, the Terrapins have played on Halloween three times and are 2-1 when playing on the holiday. Most recently, the 1997 Terps defeated Clemson on Oct. 31 (15-10, 10-15, 15-5, 14-16, 15-9). Here is a rundown of some of the players' favorite Halloween costumes when they were younger:

Kathy Shahrokh: A Grape.
Aimee Huddleston: A hobo...I had a beard...it was cute.
Fiona DeFreitas: Wonderwoman!
Carrie Lagler: Once I was the Cookie Monster, but Tinkerbell was my favorite costume.
Teryn Papp: I was Miss America one year.
Rachel Moore: Sleeping Beauty.
Rachel Wagener: A donut.
Lynnsy Jones: Minnie Mouse.

Votes Times Two
In every week that the Terrapins have been listed in the USA TODAY/AVCA Coaches' Poll, their votes have doubled. In week one they earned two votes; week two they garnered four votes and now in week three they are up to eight votes. To view the latest Top 25 poll, Click here.

Career Night Vs. Duke
In the Terrapins last match, a 3-1 victory at Duke, three separate Terps had career-best performances. Sarah Treadwell posted 18 kills, Fiona DeFreitas had 25 digs and Aimee Huddleston recorded 17 digs, all good for career-highs.

Sophomore Sensations
Sophomores Stephanie Smith and Rachel Wagener have been forces at the net this season. Wagener, who leads the ACC and is third in the nation in blocks with a per-game average of 1.76, is also averaging over two kills per game. Smith, who had 17 kills on Oct. 21 to propel the Terps past Wake Forest, ranks third on the team in kills (2.87 per game) and is nationally ranked for hitting percentage (.380/30th).

Terps By The Numbers

281.5
The number of blocks Maryland has recorded this season. The Terps have held their opponents to 177.5 blocks through 24 matches. In the latest NCAA statistics, the team is ranked fifth in the nation for blocks per game.

2
The number of Terp players who have been named ACC Player of the Week this season. Lynnsy Jones garnered the honor on Sept. 8 and Aimee Huddleston got the nod on Oct. 13.

1,000
Aimee Huddleston has recorded assist number 1,000 for the season and Lynnsy Jones recorded her 1,000th career kill earlier this season.

7
The number of Maryland opponents this season that made the NCAA tournament last year. Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, South Florida, College of Charleston, George Mason and Michigan State all qualified for the tournament in 2002.

9
The number of consecutive matches the Terrapins have won in Comcast Center Gymnasium. Maryland has not lost at home since Aug. 30, 2003, against Michigan State.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Maryland holds a 19-17 advantage in the all-time series with Georgia Tech, with the most recent meeting being a four-game Terp loss in O'Keefe Gymnasium earlier this season. The last time Maryland defeated Georgia Tech was on Nov. 16, 2001, in a five-game match at the ACC tournament.

The Jackets, ranked No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY/AVCA Coaches' Poll, head into this weekend one of two Division I undefeated teams at 22-0 (10-0 ACC). The Yellow Jackets, the defending ACC Champions, are led by senior setter Kele Eveland and sophomore outside hitter Lynnette Moster. Eveland leads the ACC in assists with an average of 14.89 per game and Moster is the conference leader in kills with an average of 4.42 per game. Bond Shymansky, in his second season as head coach, has compiled a 55-6 record in Atlanta.

Clemson Tigers
The all-time series with Clemson is knotted at 23 wins apiece for the Terps and Tigers. Earlier this year, Maryland bested Clemson, 3-1, in Jervey Gym. Leading the Terps in that match was Aimee Huddleston, who registered her first career triple-double (49 assists, 11 kills and 10 digs). The last time Clemson defeated the Terrapins was on Sept. 28, 2002, in a five-game match in Ritchie Coliseum in College Park.

Clemson enters the weekend with a 14-12 overall record, 3-7 in the ACC. The Tigers are led by junior outside hitter Leslie Finn and junior middle blocker Lori Ashton. Finn ranks second in the conference in kills (4.40 per game) and Ashton is fifth in blocks (1.22 per game). Jolene Jordan Hoover is in her 11th year as head coach of Clemson and has amassed a 229-125 mark.

Email Straight To You
If you would like the latest Maryland volleyball news emailed to you directly as soon as it breaks, email volleyball contact Amy Mulligan at mulligan@umd.edu with "Volleyball Email" as the subject and you will receive every update distributed about the team.