Sept. 10, 2004

Box Score

LINCOLN, Neb. - The Maryland volleyball team used a balanced attack and strong blocking to earn a 3-1 (30-28, 30-25, 25-30, 31-29) victory over Ball State in the First National Bank/Arby's Classic at the Nebraska Coliseum Friday night. Four Terrapins were in double figures in kills, led by seniors Sarah Treadwell with 18 and Jennifer Dewalt with 17. With the win, Maryland improved to 1-3 on the year while Ball State fell to 3-2.

Treadwell posted her third double-double of the year with a team-high 18 kills and 14 digs. She also hit .250 and had an ace and two solo blocks. Senior Maria DiLivio also notched a double-double for the Terrapins, as she blasted 13 kills and had 12 digs and a block. Dewalt and Stephanie Smith were the other Terrapins in double figures in the kills category, as Smith added 11. Dewalt also had four blocks in the match.

Anchoring the Terps' defense was junior libero Stephanie Doiron, who tallied a game and career-high 19 digs. Also having a strong showing defensively for Maryland was freshman outside hitter Beth Gillming, who had a career-high 16 digs.

The teams played to four consecutive ties in the first game before Ball State stretched a lead to three points at 16-13, prompting a Maryland timeout. While Ball State would go on to earn its largest lead of the game at 20-16, the Terrapins would later rally on consecutive kills from Treadwell and take the lead at 22-21 - their first lead since 8-7 early in the game. From there, Maryland never relinquished its lead and went on to win game one, 30-28.

The Terrapins jumped out to an early 7-2 lead in game two on the strength of crowd-electrifying blocks by Treadwell and Dewalt, but Maryland's largest lead would come on a Rachel Wagener kill, making the score 11-5. The Cardinals did come back to tie the score at 13, but Maryland continued to post big blocks and won game two going away, 30-25.

The third game was closely contested, as neither team could build more than a one-point lead until Maryland strung together a Stephanie Smith kill and a Sarah Treadwell block to lead, 9-7. Ball State would battle back, however, and gradually pulled away for a 30-25 third-game victory.

After losing the first point of game four, Maryland lead the rest of way by as many as five until Ball State tied the game at 25. A Terrapin kill from Smith a few points later would get Maryland to match point, but two kills from Cardinal Sarah Obras kept Ball State alive. With the score tied at 29, Maryland took a time out and followed it up with a Dewalt kill to get within one point of clinching the match. A Ball State attack error would give the Terps the edge in game four, 31-29. The Terps hit .315 in game four en route to the victory.

Senior setter Aimee Huddleston had a season-high 61 assists while also posting two kills, eight digs and four blocks.

Maryland outblocked Ball State, 13 to 11, and outhit the Cardinals .253 to .142.

Ball State was led by Sarah Obras, who had a match-high 24 kills for the Cardinals. Obras also posted 18 digs, while Rachel Refenes had 16 kills and five blocks for Ball State.

Maryland continues action at the First National Bank/Arby's Classic on the campus of the University of Nebraska tomorrow at 4 p.m. when it takes on Florida A&M. The tournament wraps up Sunday at the Nebraska Coliseum, when Maryland faces the host Huskers in a 2 p.m. match.