Game Notes | Weekend Promotions
Gametracker | Listen Sunday
Oct. 26, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Terps look to build upon the momentum from their five-game win over NC State, as they face Miami and Florida State this weekend as the second half of the ACC conference schedule kicks in. Maryland will face the Hurricanes (5-7 ACC, 8-13) at 7 p.m., followed by a Sunday matchup at 1 p.m. with the Seminoles (9-3 ACC, 15-6).
Both matches this weekend can be followed on Gametracker by visiting www.umterps.com. Fans can listen to Sunday's broadcast against Florida State by going to www.wmucsports.com.
Noting the Terrapins
Collectively, the Terps (12.78 kpg) hold a .181 hitting percentage on the year, and are led by Jade Brown (.188) with 255 kills (3.70 kpg) and 51 blocks (0.74 bpg). Redshirt sophomore Mary Beth Brown (2.16 kpg) and junior co-captain Beth Gillming (2.05 kpg) have 149 and 156 kills, respectively.
On defense, the Terps are second in the ACC and ranked twenty-first in the NCAA with 3.15 bpg. Freshman middle blocker Katie Usher leads the team with 110 total blocks for a 1.47 bpg, to remain third in the ACC. Mary Beth Brown has the second-most blocks on the team with 67 (0.97 bpg), while redshirt freshman Kathleen Wilson also holds a 0.97 bpg with 36 kills.
Maggie Schmelzle holds the team-high of digs with 224 on the year (2.95 dpg), as the squad posts a 13.30 dpg average. Jade Brown and Schmelzle have each notched at least 11 games in double-digit digs, while Gillming set the season-high of 27 digs last week against the Wolfpack and has eight matches in double-figures.
Senior setter Teryn Papp averages 5.35 a/g, while Tedi Doucet posts 346 assists for a 4.61 a/g as part of the team's 6-2 offense.
Last Week
Maryland split its matches last weekend as the team finished a four-match road swing in North Carolina. The Terps were swept by the Tar Heels (24-30, 26-30, 27-30) on Oct. 20. Gillming (.346) finished with 12 kills and freshman Ashley Hogan notched nine, while Schmelzle ended the night with nine digs.
In the match with the Wolfpack, the Terrapins rallied from a two-game deficit for the 3-2 win (24-30, 30-32, 30-28, 30-15, 15-11). The Terps had 66 kills in the match from outside hitters Jade Brown (19), Gillming (12) and Mary Beth Brown (10) and middle blocker Usher (10). Three Terps notched double-figure digs, helping the team to a match-high 83 digs.
Terrapin Record Watch
Gillming's 27 digs against NC State brings her career tally to 997, three shy of the 1,000-career dig mark. The Cincinnati-native currently is sixth for career digs at Maryland.
Freshman middle blocker Katie Usher needs ten block assists to tie Jennifer Ewalt's (04) single-season record of 120 block assists. Her season high was 13 block assists against Georgia Tech.
About Miami
The Hurricanes are 4-4 in their last eight matches, with wins over Georgia Tech, NC State, Florida State and Wake Forest. Miami (5-7 ACC, 8-13) is coming off a three-game loss to Duke (22-30, 20-30, 28-30) and a 3-1 victory over the Demon Deacons (30-23, 30-27, 30-32, 30-23) in Winston-Salem.
Outside hitter Frannie Savage leads the Hurricanes with 3.77 kpg and a .238 hitting percentage, while redshirt junior middle blocker Ciara Michel (2.78 kpg) has 228 kills for a .322 hitting percentage helping the team to a .210 hitting percentage.
Jill Robinson has 850 assists (10.62 a/g) for the team and has also collected 205 digs (2.56 dpg). The team posts a 14.12 dpg and holds a 2.54 bpg average, as Michel leads the `Canes with 102 blocks (1.24 bpg).
The Terps dropped their earlier matchup against Miami (Sept. 24) in a three-game contest (24-30, 27-30, 14-30).
Maryland is 4-2 all-time against Miami. Miami head coach Nicole Latagne-Welch returns to her alma mater (`90). She has been with Miami since 2000.
Scouting Florida State
Florida State (9-3 ACC, 15-6 ACC) leads the league and is ranked ninth nationally with a .289 hitting percentage, led by junior outside hitter Makini Thompson (.308) with a 3.92 kpg and senior middle blocker Sarah Griffin (.293) with a 2.83 kpg. Senior Zrinka Tomic is the team's primary setter with 11.97 a/g, while libero Summer Weissing leads the squad with 299 digs (3.99 dpg). The team holds a 13.44 dpg average.
Overall, the squad posts 2.33 blocks on the year, with Griffin (1.09 bpg) and Brianna Barry (0.92 bpg) leading the team.
The Seminoles split matches last weekend in Tallahassee as they won their opening contest against Wake Forest, 3-0 (30-21, 30-20, 30-24) and were led by Thompson with 16 kills and Weissing and Alex Plummer who combined for 25 digs. On October 22, the team dropped the second matchup of the weekend against Duke 3-0 (21-30, 20-30, 27-30). In the contest against the Blue Devils, FSU registered nine blocks, including two solo blocks and a team-high eight kills from Thompson.
The Seminoles have won five of their last eight matches, with other conference losses coming from Clemson (0-3) and Miami (2-3).
Overall, Maryland holds the series lead over Florida State 17-12.
The Terps dropped their ACC-opener against the Seminoles 0-3 (12-30, 28-30, 24-30) on Sept. 22 earlier this season in Tallahassee.
Coming Up
Maryland heads to ACC-rival Virginia and Virginia Tech next weekend as conference play continues. The Terps play the Cavaliers on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. contest against the Hokies on Sat. Nov. 4.
