Nov. 21, 2008
Box Score
CLEMSON, S.C. -
After dropping the first two sets, the University of Maryland volleyball team rallied to nearly force a fifth and deciding set, but fell just short, losing in four sets Friday evening at Clemson.
The Terrapins (6-24, 2-16 ACC) dropped the first two sets, 25-16 and 25-15 before prolonging the match with a 28-26 win in set No. 3. Despite leading late in the fourth set, the Tigers (20-9, 12-6 ACC) rallied to take it, 25-21 to win the match.
The Terps hung tough through the early stages of the opening set, playing to a 10-10 stalemate. Maryland tied the score four times in the set, but never pulled ahead. Up 16-13, the Tigers went on a 5-0 run to take an eight-point lead en route to the nine-point victory.
Maryland held two one-point leads early in the second set, but again, the Tigers answered. With a 10-9 lead, the Tigers embarked on a 5-1 run to gain a working margin. The Terps got no closer than four points the rest of the way.
Early in the third set, it appeared the Tigers were on their way to a sweep of the Terps, but Maryland didn't go down without a fight.
The Terps trailed by as many as eight points at 14-6. Clemson still seemed to be in control at 17-11, but that's when Maryland made its run.
Maryland scored eight of the next 12 points. Freshmen Maddi Lee and Lisa Scott combined for five kills in the sequence as the Terps got within two at 21-19 to force a Clemson timeout. However, the Tigers scored two of three points out of the break to put the Terps on the ropes, 23-20.
Back-to-back attack errors from Danielle Hepburn and a pair of kills from sophomore Brittney Grove, however, gave the Terps a set point of their own, 24-23.
After playing to a 26-26 tie, the Terps finally broke through, finishing the comeback with a block by Sharon Strizak and Katie Usher, followed by a Strizak service ace.
Much like the first two sets, both teams mostly traded points early in set No. 4. The score was tied 11 times in the set. Knotted at 14 apiece, the Terps broke through, momentarily, scoring three consecutive points on an Usher kill and back-to-back Grove service aces.
Still up three at 18-15, Clemson began its finishing run to deny the Terps a fourth-set victory. Three hitting errors and a service error aided the Tigers on a 5-0 run, as they pulled ahead of the Terps to stay at 20-18. A Scott kill brought Maryland back within one to temporarily stop Clemson's momentum, but the Tigers never trailed again, eventually winning by four, 25-21.
Scott finished with 11 kills on .350 hitting with four blocks. Grove led the Terps with 12 kills and 20 digs. Usher finished with nine kills on .353 hitting with three blocks. Lee had 11 kills in the match.
Strizak had 40 assists for the Terps, the most by a Maryland player in a match this season. Senior Maggie Schmelzle finished with 14 digs to get within 11 of Beth Gillming for second place in school history.
Hepburn led Clemson with 18 kills on .382 hitting with five blocks. Lia Proctor finished with 16 kills on .375 hitting for the Tigers.
Maryland plays at Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. Saturday.
-TERPS-
