Sept. 28, 2007
Complete Results
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Beth Gillming recorded 15 kills and had 24 digs, while Bethany Springer had a match-high 33 digs as the University of Maryland defeated North Carolina, 3-1, in an Atlantic Coast Conference volleyball match played Friday before 655 fans at the Comcast Center Pavilion.
Maryland improved its record to 9-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC, while the Tar Heels fell to 5-8 overall and 1-3 in the league. The win came in the Terrapins' first home match in conference play this season.
Maryland won the first two games 30-26 and 30-22, but lost the third game 30-28 after rallying from a late six-point deficit. The Terrapins closed out the match with a 30-22 victory in the fourth game.
Jade Brown also hit the double-figure mark in kills for Maryland with 10. Meredith Doyle finished with eight blocks for the Terrapins, who also got seven from Katie Usher. The Terps were strong at the net, getting 15 team blocks in the four games.
Megan Owens led both teams with 18 kills in the match, adding 14 digs to her effort for North Carolina. Brianna Eskola had 27 digs for the Tar Hells, while setter Stephanie Jansma had 40 assists. Christine Vaughen led UNC at the net with four blocks despite playing in only two of the four games.
Gillming had a kill from Hayley Hanson to tie the first game at 17-17 before a kill by Maggie Schmelzle and three UNC attack errors pushed the Terrapins' lead to 21-17. The Terps improved the lead to 25-19 and 26-21 before back-to-back kills by Jade Brown gave Maryland a 29-23 edge. The Tar Heels got a kill from Christie Clark in the midst of a rally that saw UNC stave off three game points before a service error ended the first game in favor of Maryland.
The Terrapins got off to a strong start in the second game, rallying to leads of 6-1 and 10-4. That lead held up through most of the second game, as the Terrapins used strong blocking at the end of the second game to turn a 23-18 lead into the 30-22 win.
North Carolina did not trail in the third game after taking a 12-11 lead, holding onto a two- to four-point edge from midway through the game through the end. UNC led 29-25 on a kill by Vaughen and the Terps pulled within 29-28 before Owens ended the third game with a kill on an assist from Jansma.
Maryland again held a working margin in the fourth game, taking advantage of a five-point run early to earn an 11-6 lead. The Terps never trailed thereafter, building a comfortable 27-19 edge before closing the match on a kill from Meredith Doyle.
Maryland hosts NC State on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Comcast Center Pavilion.
