Dec. 5, 2003

Box Score| Quotes

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Lynnsy Jones finished with 16 kills and a Maryland rally in the third game lifted the Terrapins to a 30-24, 30-25, 30-28 victory over American on Friday in a first-round match of the NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament played before 1,012 at the Comcast Center Gym.

The Terrapins, now 27-7, will host Colorado State on Saturday in a second-round match. The Rams, now 29-4, swept George Mason, 30-22, 30-24, 30-25, in the evening's first match. Becky Sarauer led three CSU players in double figures in kills with 14.

Maryland, which won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship a week ago, also got 10 kills, 12 digs and five service aces from Maria DiLivio. Jones added four blocks for the hosts, with Aimee Huddleston finishing with 39 assists. The Terps had 11 service aces in the match against a strong Eagles team, which finished 22-10.

Karla Kucerkova led American with 18 kills and only one attack error. Cutrina Biddulph finished with nine kills and a pair of blocks, with Natacha Cornaz leading the Eagle defense with three blocks.

After losing the opening two games, American held leads of 22-19, 24-21 and 28-25 down the stretch in the third game. But after a kill by Jones, Lauren Wilson served out the match with a four-point streak. On an earlier rotation, Wilson had brought Maryland from a 16-12 deficit to an 18-17 lead.

The Terps went on a 5-1 run midway through the first game to take a 16-12 lead. Maryland's edge was no less than two points the rest of the way. The second game was similar, as the Terrapins took a 9-7 edge and never trailed thereafter.

In the opening match played at Comcast Center, Tess Rogers had 13 kills and Andreya Downs added 11 kills and three blocks to aid Colorado State's offense. Melissa Courtney led the Rams with 10 digs and finished with 47 assists.

Aline Pereira had 12 kills and Natalia Porosa had 10 kills and seven digs for George Mason, which ended its season at 16-15.

Colorado State trailed only once throughout its match with GMU, as the Patriots scored the first point of the third game.