Terp Volleyball Hosts Georgia Tech and Clemson

Oct. 5, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland volleyball returns to the Comcast Center this weekend in search of its first conference victory as it hosts Georgia Tech and Clemson. The Terrapins (7-7, 0-5) are slated to play Georgia Tech (8-6, 0-4 ACC) on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a Sunday contest against Clemson (8-4, 3-1 ACC).

Last Time Out

The Terps traveled to Boston College Tuesday night for their first mid-week, conference matchup. Maryland, 2-2 in away contests in the season at that point, fell to the Eagles in three games (23-30, 27-30, 22-30). Jade Brown led the Terps with 13 kills and four blocks. Redshirt freshman Meredith Doyle tallied six blocks, while Maggie Schmelzle and Beth Gillming notched ten and nine digs, respectively.

Prior to the matchup with the Eagles, the Terps dropped contests against Virginia Tech and Virginia at the Comcast Center (Sept. 29-30). The Terps fell 3-1 (24-30, 30-22, 24-30, 24-30) to the Hokies, and 3-0 (27-30, 32-34, 21-30) to the Cavaliers.

A Look at the Terps

With five ACC matches behind them, the Terps are registering a .198 hitting percentage (12.94 kpg). The Terrapins average 3.18 blocks per game, ranking them 22nd in the NCAA for team blocks and second in the ACC behind Virginia (3.27 bpg).

After missing two ACC matches, Jade Brown (.229) returned to the court last weekend for the Terps and holds the team-high of 170 kills and 139 digs (3.02 dpg). Mary Beth Brown (2.35 kpg) has 122 kills for a .194 hitting percentage, while Meredith Doyle has a .250 hitting percentage (1.74 kpg) after playing 43-of-52 games. Junior outside hitter Beth Gillming has 134 digs (2.58 dpg), while sophomore Maggie Schmelzle has tallied 128 digs (2.46 dpg) after playing three matches as libero.

Setters Teryn Papp and sophomore Tedi Doucet have combined for 10.33 assists, helping the team to an 11.96 average.

Maryland is one of two ACC schools that played two Top-20 opponents as part of its early season schedule. The Terps dropped a 3-1 (29-31, 30-26, 23-30, 22-30) contest to then-No. 17 Indiana (Sept. 8), and fell 3-0 against then-No. 3 UCLA (22-30, 23-30, 23-30) in the Comcast Center (Sept. 16) at the Hilton Garden Inn Greenbelt Invitational.

The Terps face six teams this season that advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2005.

Terrapin Jade Brown was co-ACC Player of the Week for the week of September 11, 2006.

Building Blocks

Maryland is second in the conference in blocks (3.18 bpg) and 22nd in the NCAA, with Doyle and Usher contributing a combined 129 blocks to date. Doyle is third in the ACC with a 1.37 bpg, while Usher has a 1.35 bpg average for fourth in the league.

The Terps set a new school-record of 22 total blocks in the 3-1 win over Long Island University, in the Hilton Garden Inn Greenbelt Invitational in College Park (Sept. 15).

Five Terrapins have notched 20 or more blocks to date this season. Aside from Usher (68) and Doyle (61), outside hitters Mary Beth Brown (56), Jade Brown (31), and Beth Gillming (25) have contributed to the Terps' defense.

Scouting Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets (8-6, 0-4 ACC) come into the weekend after dropping four straight matches. Georgia Tech fell to Florida State, 3-2 (23-30, 30-32, 30-15, 30-27, 9-15) on Sept. 29, and lost to Miami 3-1 (30-27, 21-30, 27-30, 28-30) in Atlanta (Sept. 30). Georgia Tech lost its ACC-openers to Wake Forest, 3-0, and Duke 3-1 (Sept. 22-23).

Sophomore Talisa Kellogg (.300) leads Georgia Tech with 171 kills (3.42 kpg), while Ulrike Stegemann (.342) has 161 kills for a 3.04 average. Overall, the team holds a .275 hitting percentage, second in the ACC behind Florida State (.297).

Sophomore setter Allie Niekamp is fourth in the ACC recording 11.61 assists per game this season, as the team averages 13.54 per game.

Defensively, the Jackets have 134 total blocks (2.48 bpg), with six-one freshman Erin Birmingham leading the team with 49 blocks (1.04). Sophomore Callie Miller has added 46 blocks (1.16 bpg).

Senior libero Abby Showers holds the team-high of 207 digs (3.83 dpg), while Michelle Kandell has 113 digs (2.03 dpg), helping the team to 13.56 dpg.

The Terps are 19-23 all-time against Georgia Tech. The teams split matches last season as Georgia Tech snapped Maryland's 14-game winning streak last season with a 3-2 victory in Atlanta, Ga. (30-22, 26-30, 30-17, 24-30, 17-19).

The Yellow Jackets are 0-3 on the road this season, 6-3 in Atlanta, Ga.

Bond Shymansky (Iowa '98) enters his seventh year with the Yellow Jackets and holds a 118-38 career record.

About Clemson

After Friday's contest against Georgia Tech, the Tigers come to College Park for a Sunday 1 p.m. meeting with the Terps. Clemson (8-4, 3-1 ACC) has won three consecutive matches, with wins over Wake Forest (3-1), Miami (3-1) and Florida State (3-0), yet dropped its ACC-opener against Duke (3-0).

The Tigers started the season with a win over Bradley, and dropped three straight matches against Northern Iowa, Purdue and South Carolina.

The Tigers followed those matches with wins over Western Carolina, Tennessee State, Charlotte 49ers, and Furman before heading into ACC play. Clemson holds a .241 hitting percentage (15.27 kpg), with Danielle Hepburn leading the conference and the Tigers with a .361 hitting percentage. She has 133 kills (2.96 kpg) and leads the team with 69 blocks (1.53 bpg) and is 21st in the nation. Jeannette Abbott (.230) leads the ACC with 4.49 kpg and holds the team-high of 202 kills, while the team is third behind Maryland in the league recording 137 blocks (3.04 bpg).

Kelsey Murphy (8.56 a/g) and Courtney Lawrence (8.05 a/g) have combined for 444 assists. The Tigers' Didem Ege (4.57 dpg) has 201 digs, while the team holds a 15.89 dpg.

Clemson is 1-2 away, and 6-1 on its home court in Clemson, S.C. this season.

Maryland holds a 27-24 series lead over the Tigers, with the Terps winning five of the last seven meetings.

Last season, the Terrapins won 3-1 (27-30, 30-25, 30-21, 30-25) in Clemson, S.C. and 3-1 (33-31, 30-15, 28-30, 34-32) in College Park.

Coming Up

The Terps head to tobacco road for a four match road swing beginning on October 12. Maryland will face off against Duke (Oct. 12), followed by a Friday night contest against Wake Forest (Oct. 13). The Terps then return to North Carolina for contests against the Tarheels (Oct. 20) and the Wolfpack of NC State (Oct. 21).

Players Mentioned

Jade Brown

Mary Beth Brown

Tedi Doucet

Meredith Doyle

Beth Gillming

Teryn Papp

Maggie Schmelzle

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