Nov. 7, 2008
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Junior middle blocker Katie Usher led the University of Maryland volleyball with nine kills and five blocks, but the Terrapins lost 3-0 to the visiting Miami Hurricanes Friday evening, 25-19, 25-21 and 27-25.
Genny Mayhew notched a match-high 14 kills and Angelica Ellis added 11 as the Hurricanes (21-5, 9-5 ACC) won in College Park for the first time ever.
Neither team could distance itself from the other for most of the first set minus an early 9-5 Miami lead. Maryland (6-20, 2-12 ACC) fought back to tie the score at 13-13, 14-14 and 15-15. With the Hurricanes holding a one-point lead at 20-19, they took advantage of three Maryland errors to score five consecutive points and win the opener, 25-19.
Miami hit a solid .296 in the set, while limiting the Terps to .083 hitting.
The Terps led by three points in set No. 2, 12-9, but a 6-1 Miami response gave the Hurricanes a 15-13 lead and forced a Terrapin timeout. With a 17-15 lead, Miami ripped off four straight points to take a 21-15 advantage.
Maryland mounted a brief rally to cut the deficit to two, 22-20, scoring three times off of blocks, including solos from Usher and sophomore Brittney Grove. After a Miami point, Usher contributed a kill to stay within two points, but kills from Ellis and Lane Carico clinched the set for the Hurricanes and gave them a 2-0 lead in the match heading into the intermission.
The Terrapins came out of the 10-minute break on fire, grabbing a quick 8-3 lead. Sophomore outside hitter Michelle Kenning had three kills and two blocks in the opening run. Grove then added four kills in a six-point span to give the Terps a 13-8 lead and force a Miami timeout.
Maryland led by six points, 20-14, late in the set and appeared poised to send the match to a fourth set, but the Hurricanes fought back. A 5-1 Miami run cut the deficit to two, 21-19, forcing Maryland to call timeout and regroup.
Unfortunately for the Terps, the timeout did little to halt Miami's momentum. The Hurricanes scored three straight points out of the break to take a 22-21 lead.
The Terps rallied back to serve match point, 25-24, but the Hurricanes closed the match with three straight points on an Ellis kill, a Mayhew kill and an Ellis service ace.
Grove continued to play well for Maryland, finishing with seven kills on .316 hitting, eight digs, two service aces and two blocks. Freshman Maddi Lee finished with eight kills. Freshman Sharon Strizak led the Terps with 15 assists and Bethany Springer finished with a match-high 14 digs.
Katie Gallagher recorded 37 assists for Miami.
Maryland plays its final home match of the season at 7 p.m. Saturday night against Florida State. Senior Night ceremonies will be held before the match for Maryland's five seniors: Mary Beth Brown, Maggie Schmelzle, Tedi Doucet, Meredith Doyle and Kathleen Wilson.
Former Maryland head coach Janice Kruger will also be honored before the match.
-TERPS-
