Terps Head Back To North Carolina For Two ACC Volleyball Matches

Sept. 30, 2004

Oct. 9 Match Vs. Miami To Be Played At 8 p.m.

MARYLAND (6-6, 1-1 ACC) at NORTH CAROLINA (7-7, 2-1 ACC)
SAT., OCT. 2, 2004 * 6:00 p.m.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. * CARMICHAEL AUDITORIUM (10,180)

MARYLAND at NC STATE (10-5, 0-2 ACC)
SUN., OCT. 3, 2004 * 2:00 p.m.
RALEIGH, N.C. * REYNOLDS COLISEUM (12,400)

The University of Maryland volleyball team continues a four-match road swing with two contests against ACC foes this weekend, as it takes on North Carolina and NC State. The Terps, who are 6-6 (1-1 ACC) on the year, face the Tar Heels in Carmichael Auditorium Saturday night at 6 p.m. (Gametracker available at www.tarheelblue.com), then play the Wolfpack Sunday in Reynolds Coliseum at 2 p.m.

Noting The Terrapins

Maryland split matches with Duke and Wake Forest last weekend in North Carolina, as it dropped a match to the Blue Devils, 3-1, Friday night, but bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday. The Terps are an even 6-6 on the year and 1-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Terrapins split matches with North Carolina in 2003, as both teams won on their home courts. Maryland defeated NC State twice a season ago.

Maryland's loss to Duke on Sept. 24 was its first conference loss since Nov. 11, 2003 vs. Virginia. Following that 3-2 loss to the Cavaliers, the Terps went on to win their last regular-season match at Florida State and three at the ACC tournament en route to the conference crown.

As a team, Maryland is averaging nearly three blocks a game and ranks second in the conference in the category behind NC State. Leading the way is junior middle blocker Rachel Wagener, who has recorded 59 blocks on the year and is averaging 1.37 per game (fourth in the ACC). Also providing strong blocking is junior Stephanie Smith, who has posted a team-high 10 solo blocks on the year and averages 1.26 total blocks per game. Smith is also hitting a team-high .320, good for eighth in the conference.

Joining the middles on the conference top-10 lists is Sarah Treadwell, who ranks eighth in digs (3.70 per game) and Huddleston, who is sixth in assists (12.00 per game).

Two of a Kind

The hard-hitting combination of Treadwell and DiLivio has sparked the Maryland offense in 2004. The duo accounts for 288 of the Terps' 651 kills, roughly 44 percent. Treadwell averages a team-leading 3.56 kills and 3.70 digs per game, while DiLivio is right behind her with 3.14 kills and 3.21 digs per game. Records Watch

Sarah Treadwell notched her 1,000th career dig on Sept. 25 at Wake Forest. The senior headed into the match needing nine to hit the milestone and recorded 11 on the night. Treadwell now has 1,002 digs for her career and sits in fourth place on Maryland's all-time list in the category.

Another Terp poised to hit an impressive milestone is senior Maria DiLivio, who is on pace to join the elite club of Maryland volleyball players who have recorded both 1,000 kills and digs for their careers. DiLivio needs 48 kills for 1,000 on her career and is on track for 1,000 digs as well.

Last Time Out: Maryland 3, Wake Forest 1

The Maryland volleyball team earned its first conference victory of the 2004 campaign, defeating host Wake Forest, 3-1 (30-24, 30-27, 28-30, 30-23), Sept. 25 in Reynolds Gym. The Terrapins, now 1-1 in ACC play, evened their overall record to 6-6, while the Demon Deacons dropped to 8-4 (0-2 ACC).

It was a standout night for Maryland's middle blockers, as both Stephanie Smith and Rachel Wagener tallied a match-high 19 kills. Smith finished with just two errors on 28 attempts and hit .609 while also adding three blocks. Wagener, who hit .536, also had five blocks against the Demon Deacons.

Senior outside hitter Sarah Treadwell recorded her 1,000th career dig in the victory. Prior to the contest with Wake Forest, she needed nine for the milestone and reached it with 11 digs for the night. Treadwell added 11 kills. Defensively, freshman Beth Gillming led the Terrapins with a match-high 16 digs.

Maria DiLivio was the other Terrapin in double figures for kills, as she posted 12 while contributing nine digs and a block. Aimee Huddleston had 58 assists, four kills, 10 digs and five blocks.

Smith led the Terrapin offense in game one, blasting seven kills with no errors on 10 swings. The Terrapins stretched out a seven-point advantage on a Rachel Moore ace to take a 24-17 lead late in the game, but the Demon Deacons would then go on a 5-1 run to pull within three points at 25-22. Following Terrapin head coach Janice Kruger's timeout, the Terps stormed back with strong blocking and two kills by Smith to clinch the game. Smith's .700 attack percentage, along with Wagener's four kills and Sarah Treadwell's five digs, helped Maryland to the 30-26 first-game victory.

Wake Forest jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the second game, but the Terps fought back to tie the score at 6-6. From there, the Demon Deacons again stretched out as much as a five-point lead, but Maryland battled back and eventually tied the game at 25 and took its first lead of the game off a Maria DiLivio kill. Later, with Maryland holding onto a slim one-point lead at 28-27, Stephanie Doiron came into the game to serve, leading to a Stephanie Smith kill and an ace on match point. Libero Rachel Moore's acrobatic digs and another offensive onslaught by Smith (four kills, no errors) led the way in game two for the Terps as they won, 30-27. Game three belonged to Wake Forest, as the Demon Deacons outblocked and outhit the Terrapins and won, 30-28. Maryland would come back to clinch the match, however, in the fourth game. The Terps hit a blistering .314 and Wagener had five kills as Maryland cruised, 30-23.

Immediate Impact

Freshman Beth Gillming, who has played in all but one game and every match for the Terrapins, is making an immediate impact in her first year of collegiate volleyball. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has worked her way into the Terps' starting lineup and is averaging 2.79 digs per game in 2004.

Gillming recorded her first career kill on Sept. 3 vs. Kansas State and has seen extensive action in the back row since then. On Sept. 24 vs. Duke, Gillming recorded an impressive career-high 23 digs and followed up that performance with 16 digs in the victory over Wake Forest on Sept. 25. In 12 matches, Gillming has reached double-digits for digs in six of the contests.

Fresh Faces

Including Gillming, Kruger's squad welcomes five new faces in 2004. Charese Baldwin, Jade Brown, Mary Beth Brown, Gillming and Katie Luhrsen are the Terps' class of 2008, along with redshirt freshman Tina Aramburu.

Luhrsen got her first collegiate action at the Houston Invitational, playing in two games vs. California on Sept. 4. Luhrsen had a strong showing, as she tallied eight digs and two assists.

Baldwin played in her first collegiate match vs. Towson on Sept. 15. She recorded her first career kills on Sept. 18 vs. Georgetown, including the match-winner.

Aramburu earned her first collegiate experience vs. Georgetown on Sept. 18, notching a dig.

Scouting North Carolina

The Tar Heels have a 7-7 (2-1 ACC) record after most recently edging Clemson, 3-2, on Sept. 25 in Clemson, S.C. In addition to the victory over the Tigers, UNC edged arch-rival Duke, 3-1, in Durham, N.C., on Sept. 21. The Tar Heels' only conference loss came to Georgia Tech, as the Yellow Jackets took that match, 3-0, in Atlanta.

Molly Pyles (4.10 kills per game) and Dani Nyenhuis (3.71 kills per game) lead North Carolina offensively, while Pyles (3.53 digs per game) and Caroline deRoeck (4.15 digs per game) anchor the defense. Pyles' kills per game average ranks sixth in the conference.

North Carolina, as a team, ranks second in the conference in digs (17.26 per game) and seventh in kills (15.12 per game).

The Tar Heel program is in its 15th season with Joe Sagula at the helm. Sagula recently earned his 500th career victory and has compiled a 298-181 record in Chapel Hill.

Maryland trails the all-time series with UNC, 27-18, and split two matches with the Tar Heels last season. The teams' last meeting, on Nov. 7, 2003 in Chapel Hill, resulted in a 3-2 North Carolina victory.

In that match, a balanced attack was led by Sarah Treadwell (16 kills), Rachel Wagener (14 kills), Stephanie Smith (13 kills) and Maria DiLivio (11 kills). Treadwell and DiLivio had double-doubles with 16 and 14 digs, respectively, while Aimee Huddleston had 69 assists and 10 digs.

Scouting NC State

NC State enters the weekend at 10-5 overall, with its conference losses coming to Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Adeola Kosoko leads the team in kills (3.43 per game) and hitting percentage (.352). Her attack percentage ranks fifth in the ACC. Stefani Eddins leads the league in blocks (1.50 per game), Kosoko also averages over a block a game.

NC State, as a team, ranks first in the conference in blocks (3.12 per game) and fourth in service aces (1.86 per game).

Maryland leads the all-time series with the Wolfpack, 31-17, including two wins in the 2003 season. The last meeting between the teams was on Nov. 6, 2003 in Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, a 3-0 (30-13, 30-18, 30-25) Terp victory.

In that match, Maria DiLivio notched 15 kills and 10 digs and Sarah Treadwell posted eight kills and 10 digs.

NC State is coached by Mary Byrne, who is in her fourth season.

Maryland Picked To Finish Second In ACC

The University of Maryland volleyball team was selected to finish second in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Terrapins, who earned the school's third ACC title a season ago, earned 112 points and finished just behind Georgia Tech with 116 points. Rounding out the top three was North Carolina (93) and Wake Forest (78).

Huddleston And Wagener: Preseason All-ACC

Senior setter Aimee Huddleston, a first-team All-ACC selection last season, and Rachel Wagener, a second-team honoree in 2003, represent Maryland on the preseason All-ACC squad.

Huddleston is averaging 12.00 assists per game while contributing 2.00 digs per game and 1.07 kills per game.

Wagener is averaging 2.56 kills per game and has posted 59 blocks on the year (1.37 per game).

Kruger Embarks On 17th Season At Maryland

Janice Kruger, who became the ACC's all-time winningest coach last season, returns for her 17th year at the helm of the Terrapins. Her record at Maryland is 310-204, while her overall record is 685-309-6. Last season's ACC Coach of the Year and AVCA Region Coach of the Year, Kruger won her third ACC Championship and made her fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

2004 Schedule: One Of The Toughest

Maryland, which captured the ACC Championship last season en route to its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance, faced three teams that advanced to the 2003 NCAA Sweet Sixteen within the first two weeks of the fall schedule.

Maryland's home tournament took place on Sept. 17-18 in Comcast Center Pavilion and proved that its home court is a tough place to play. With four wins at home in the 2004 campaign, Maryland is now 13-5 all-time in Comcast Center.

The Terps opened the ACC portion of their schedule on Sept. 24-25 at Duke and Wake Forest, earning a victory over the Demon Deacons but falling to the Blue Devils.

New to the ACC this year are Miami and Virginia Tech. Miami head coach, Nicole Lantagne Welch, is a former Maryland setter and will face her former coach in Kruger.

The Terrapins, who defeated Georgia Tech, 3-1, for the 2003 ACC Tournament title will look to defend their crown at this year's tournament which is being held in Charlottesville, Va., on Nov. 18-21.

The team will have a final regular-season game after that tournament, a home contest vs. Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 27.

Up Next

The Terps will return to Comcast Center Pavilion next weekend as they host Florida State and Miami. Friday's match with the Seminoles will begin at 7 p.m., while Saturday's contest with the Hurricanes will start at 8 p.m. Fans attending Saturday's match are encouraged to arrive close to the 8 p.m. start time due to anticipated traffic tie-ups following the 3:30 p.m. Maryland football game.

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 on the team.

Terps Head Back To North Carolina For Two ACC Volleyball Matches

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