Nov. 20, 2008
Match Notes 
Volleyball Inks Four Recruits for 2009
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The University of Maryland volleyball team travels to Clemson and Georgia Tech this weekend for the final weekend road trip of the season before closing the 2008 season Wednesday at Boston College.
The Terrapins (6-23, 2-15 ACC) were defeated by both the Tigers (19-9, 11-6 ACC) and Yellow Jackets (18-9, 10-7 ACC) earlier this season in College Park, Md.
Maryland is led by junior middle blocker Katie Usher, who leads the team with 255 kills and a .268 hitting percentage. Usher is tied with freshman Lisa Scott for the team lead in blocks, with 93.
Clemson, last year's Atlantic Coast Conference champion, enters the weekend on a two-match losing skid after falling at Florida State and Miami last weekend to fall two matches back of first place in the league. The Tigers lead the ACC in blocks and hitting percentage, rejecting 2.78 attacks per set while hitting .260 as a team.
Senior middle Danielle Hepburn leads the conference with 1.45 blocks and 3.94 kills per set. Hepburn's .390 hitting percentage is second-best in the league. Clemson leads the all-time series, 29-27.
The Yellow Jackets also come into weekend action on a losing note. Georgia Tech has lost three straight matches to all but fall out of contention for the ACC title after sitting in first place two weeks ago.
Tech leads the conference with 12.98 assists and 13.84 kills per set. The Yellow Jackets hit .259 as a team, second-best in the ACC. Maryland leads the all-time series, 25-22. The Terps and Jackets have split the season series three straight years, but Maryland has not won in Atlanta since the 1997 season.
Usher and senior Maggie Schmelzle are chasing history this weekend.
Schmelzle is only 25 digs shy of former high school and college teammate Beth Gillming for second place in school history. Schmelzle currently has 1,557 career digs. Schmelzle is also two service aces shy of 100 in her career, a milestone only six players in school history have reached up to this point.
Usher enters the weekend eight blocks shy of 400 in her career, which would put her in fifth place in school history with Sherry Smith.
-TERPS-
