Sept. 15, 2006

Box Score

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland women's volleyball team recorded a new all-time school record of 22 blocks as they defeated Long Island tonight in their home-opening match of the Hilton Garden Inn Greenbelt Invitational, 3-1, (30-21, 27-30, 30-25, 30-25) before 545 at the Comcast Center. The Terps surpassed the record of 21 blocks performed in 2003 and 2004.

Terrapin middle blockers Katie Usher and Meredith Doyle combined for 12 blocks on the night, while Doyle registered three solo blocks. Outside hitters Jade Brown and Mary Beth Brown led the Terrapins in double-figure kills with 13 kills and 12, respectively. Jade Brown had the team-high of 16 digs and added seven block assists, as Mary Beth Brown collected nine blocks and three digs. Maryland improves to 6-1, while Long Island drops to 6-5.

Long Island got out to a quick start in game one, leading 1-3. The Terps' game settled and they took the lead at 6-5 on a kill by Doyle. Maryland extended the lead to 13-10 and built a nine-point advantage at 23-14 after a kill by Jade Brown and a Blackbird service error. The nine-point gap remained through most of the first game, with the Terps winning 30-21. Blackbird Martina Wagner had six kills for Long Island in the first game alone.

The Terps fell behind early in game two, when at 9-14 the Terps regrouped and tied the game at 16-16. The teams exchanged the lead and Maryland was tied at 24-24 when Tedi Doucet had a pinpoint set for a kill by Jade Brown. Long Island's Wagener started a late run with two kills to move ahead 25-27. The Blackbirds would win the game at 27-30.

Maryland jumped out to a 7-3 lead on two kills by Mary Beth Brown, with Beth Gillming and Maggie Schmelzle adding one each at the start of the third game. The Terps stayed in front on a service error by Long Island and key blocking by Doyle and Usher. The Blackbirds closed in within three at 21-18, but a block by Gillming and Jade Brown pushed the Terps ahead. The Terrapins extended the lead to 29-25 and closed the game on a Doucet kill at 30-25.

Maryland opened with a 6-5 lead in the fourth game, as the Blackbirds fought back to event the score at 10 and 17. Gillming scored two straight points, followed by a Long Island error moved the Terps ahead, 20-17. At 26-23, Mary Beth Brown put down a kill, with three Long Island service errors late in the game, helped the Terps push ahead to 30-25.

Beth Gillming (.333) and Maggie Schmelzle combined for 16 kills and 19 digs. Usher ended the night with six kills, while Doucet finished with 21 assists and nine digs. Hayley Hanson posted 27 assists and six digs for the Terrapins.

The Terps are back in action on Saturday morning against Florida International at 11 a.m., followed by a 7:30 p.m. contest against No. 3 UCLA.