Nov. 26, 2008
Box Score
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -
Maggie Schmelzle passed Beth Gillming for second place on Maryland volleyball's all-time digs list, but the Terrapins lost their 2008 season finale, 3-1, Wednesday afternoon at Boston College by scores of 21-25, 26-24, 29-27 and 25-23.
In the final match of her Maryland career, Schmelzle recorded 15 digs to pass Gillming, her former high school and college teammate, and give her 1,597 digs for her career.
Junior middle blocker Katie Usher recorded three blocks to move into sole possession of fourth place in school history.
The Terps (6-26, 2-18 ACC) played one of their best offensive sets of the season in the opener, hitting .341 with 17 kills.
Maryland never trailed in the first stanza and grabbed a quick 14-6 lead thanks to three kills in four plays by freshman Maddi Lee.
The Eagles (8-24, 2-18 ACC) fought back to get within three at 23-20 and 24-21, but a kill by senior Mary Beth Brown clinched the set for the Terps.
The second set featured 15 ties and seven lead changes. Maryland fell down by three early, but rallied to take the lead at 16-15. The Terps held three more one-point leads and the set was tied at 24. Unfortunately for the Terps, the Eagles notched the next two points and tied the match at one set apiece.
Set No. 3 was tight the entire way. Boston College appeared in good position late, holding a 21-18 lead.
However, Maryland scored four of the ensuing five points to tie the score. The Terrapins eventually served two set points, but could not convert. Tied at 27, the Eagles received back-to-back kills from Jordan Meredith and Melanie Cimino to take the pivotal third set.
The momentum from the third set carried into the fourth, as Boston College ran to a 14-7 lead and seemed well on its way to a victory.
But the Terps didn't make things easy, fighting back to within two, 14-12. However, the Eagled re-gained control with a 4-0 run of its own to go up 18-12. Maryland still didn't let the Eagles run away. Trailing 24-22, an Usher kill temporarily avoided defeat and cut the deficit to a single point. The comeback attempt finally fell short on the next point on a Taylor Williams kill, ending the season for both teams.
It was the final appearances in a Maryland uniform for Schmelzle, Brown and Tedi Doucet.
Lee led all attackers with 15 kills for Maryland, while Usher and Lisa Scott recorded 10 each. Sophomore Brittney Grove finished with nine kills and 10 digs.
Freshman Sharon Strizak had a strong close to her first season, finishing with nine kills on .429 hitting with 44 assists and three blocks.
Doucet had 12 digs in her final match and Brown finished with four kills.
Williams and Cimino paced the Eagles with 13 kills each.
-TERPS-
