Nov. 21, 2004

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The University of Maryland volleyball team won its second-straight ACC Championship Sunday in Memorial Gymnasium, defeating North Carolina 3-0 (30-24, 30-24, 30-17). Senior Sarah Treadwell was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after putting together four outstanding performances, capped off by 14 kills and 10 digs against the Tar Heels.

Seniors Aimee Huddleston and Jennifer Dewalt were also named to the all-tournament team, as Huddleston set the new ACC Tournament record for assists with 228 over four matches (14.25 per game), including 42 vs. the Tar Heels. Huddleston added four kills and five blocks while Dewalt notched 12 kills and four blocks.

Freshman libero Beth Gillming again led her team in digs with 24, as she also set a new ACC Tournament record, tallying 87 digs in four matches.

Maryland (16-14) ran out to a 13-8 lead early in the match off of strong blocking from Rachel Wagener, as the junior posted four block assists in the first game alone while also contributing five kills. Jennifer Dewalt also posted five first-game kills and the Terps out-hit the Tar Heels, .326-.075, to take the first game by a score of 30-24.

Maryland, the tournament's No. 7 seed, earned its first lead of game two on a Sarah Treadwell kill that made the score 9-8 in favor of the Terrapins. From there, Maryland never trailed en route to a 30-24 victory. The Terps continued to hit well in game two, as the team hit .395 and Maria DiLivio (.500), Sarah Treadwell (.400) and Jennifer Dewalt (.429) each hit at least .400. DiLivio led Maryland with five second-game kills while Rachel Wagener, Stephanie Smith and Dewalt each had three and Treadwell posted four.

MVP Sarah Treadwell had seven kills in the third game and Maryland hit .385 as a team to cruise to the 30-17 victory.

Wagener finished with 10 kills and six blocks, while Smith tallied eight kills and nine blocks. Smith's four-day total of 32 blocks also set a new ACC Tournament record.

With its fourth overall conference title, Maryland becomes the first team since North Carolina in 2000 and 2001 to repeat as ACC Champions. With the victory, the Terps earn an automatic NCAA Tournament berth for the second year in a row and will await their first-round opponent, which will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 28.