Volleyball Hosts Wake Forest, Duke this Weekend

Oct. 26, 2007

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - With a perfect 8-0 home record so far this season, Maryland volleyball is hoping the friendly confines of Comcast Center Pavilion can help it get back to .500 in the Atlantic Coast Conference with home matches this weekend against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-14, 4-8) and the No. 14 Duke Blue Devils (16-4, 11-1).

The Terrapins (13-8, 5-7) open the weekend home stand at 7 p.m. Friday against Wake Forest. The Terps will have revenge on their mind against the Demon Deacons as Wake Forest swept Maryland, 3-0, Sept. 22 in Winston-Salem, N.C.

In their first meeting with the Blue Devils this season, the Terps dropped a tough, 3-1, decision Sept. 21 at Duke. Sunday's rematch is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be televised by CSTV and will air the following night at 8 p.m. as the AVCA Match of the Week.

The Demon Deacons started well in ACC play this season, winning three of their first four matches, but have fallen on hard times lately, dropping seven of their last eight matches and five straight, overall.

The Blue Devils, the conference's preseason favorite to win the league, is off to an impressive start, sitting at 11-1 in the league, but trails 11-0 Clemson in the conference standings.

NOTES:

Terps in the ACC rankings:

The Terps ranks first in the Atlantic Coast Conference in blocks with 285.5 total at an average of 3.44 per game.

Thanks to that blocking prowess, Maryland is third in the conference in opponent hitting percentage, limiting the opposition to .165 hitting.

Maryland sophomore middle blocker Katie Usher (Vienna, Va.) ranks fourth in the ACC in hitting percentage, converting 33.9 percent of her attack attempts.

Junior outside hitter Mary Beth Brown (Vienna, Va.) is fifth in the league in blocks with 110 total and an average 1.33 per game.

Senior outside hitter Jade Brown (Atlanta, Ga.) is eighth in blocks with 1.27 per game and 100 total.

-TERPS-

Players Mentioned

Jade Brown

Mary Beth Brown

Katie Usher

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