Sept. 18, 2004

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Senior Maria DiLivio saved her best effort of the young season for the final match of the Maryland Invitational, as she was named the tournament's most valuable player and the Terrapins defeated Butler, 3-2 (30-24, 29-31, 30-22, 29-31, 15-9), Saturday night at Comcast Center Pavilion. DiLivio finished the night with 17 kills, a career-high 25 digs and four blocks. With the victory, the Terrapins won their fourth-straight match and evened their overall record at 5-5. Butler dropped to 5-6 on the year.

With a perfect 3-0 record on the weekend, the Terps were named champions of the tournament. Butler was the runner-up.

Joining DiLivio on the all-tournament team were Terrapins Sarah Treadwell and Aimee Huddleston. Over three matches in the tournament, DiLivio averaged 3.82 kills per game, and 4.18 digs per game en route to being named most valuable player.

Treadwell also had a career-night for the Terps vs. Butler, as she tallied a personal best 27 digs and added 13 kills and four blocks. Huddleston had three all-around matches at the Invitational, as she averaged over 12 assists per game for the tournament. Against Butler, Huddleston handed out 54 assists while posting eight kills, four blocks and five digs.

Blocking proved to be the difference for Maryland, as the Terps dominated the statistic and outblocked the Bulldogs 21 to 8.

The teams battled back and forth as Maryland hit a blistering .425 in game one to earn the 30-24 victory. Butler would not go away, however, and came back to even the match at one game apiece with a determined 31-29 victory in game two. Game three was all Terrapins, as Jennifer Dewalt had four kills and the Terps cruised, 30-22, but Butler again battled back to take game four by a score of 31-29.

Maryland jumped out to an early lead in the fifth and decisive game, and never relinquished the lead as they won, 15-9.

Dewalt finished the match with 10 kills and a career-high seven blocks. Rachel Wagener had another standout performance, notching 11 kills, five digs and nine blocks. Stephanie Smith also came up big for the Terps, adding 13 kills and 10 blocks.

Beth Gillming was in double-digits for digs with 13, as was libero Rachel Moore with 11.

Butler was led by all-tournament selections Kali Carter and Areal Bieneny. Carter had a match-high 28 kills and 26 digs, while Bienemy tallied 23 kills and four blocks.

The Terps travel to Durham and Winston-Salem, N.C., next weekend for their ACC-openers vs. Duke and Wake Forest.

Maryland Invitational All-Tournament Team
Maria DiLivio, Maryland (MVP)
Aimee Huddleston, Maryland
Sarah Treadwell, Maryland
Kali Carter, Butler
Areal Bienemy, Butler
Ashley Lancaster, Georgetown
Ellie Butterfield, Northern Arizona