Sept. 12, 2008

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS - The University of Maryland volleyball team lost to North Dakota State, 3-1, in the first round of the Allstate Sugar Bowl on the campus of Tulane University in New Orleans Friday evening.

The Bison (5-2) defeated the Terrapins (1-6), 27-25, 25-27, 25-16 and 25-16.

The Terps dropped the first set despite seeming to have control midway through. Up 12-10, Maryland scored five of the next six points to go up 17-11. However, the Bison evened the set at 19 apiece. The set was later tied at 24 and 25 before the Bison secured the final two points to grab a 1-0 lead in the match. Senior Maggie Schmelzle led the Terps with five kills on .364 hitting. Michelle Kenning added four kills.

Maryland responded to the first-set loss nicely, storming to a 9-3 lead in the second set, forcing North Dakota State to call timeout. Unfortunately for the Terps, the Bison answered with a 7-1 run of its own to tie the set at 10-10, forcing a Maryland timeout. The Bison eventually took the lead at 16-15, their first lead of the set. The lead went back and forth from there as the teams mostly traded points. The Bison eventually grabbed a two-point lead at 21-19.

The Terps fought back to even three more times in the set and fought off one set point. Maryland finally re-took the lead on a Katie Usher kill to hold set point at 25-24. After the Bison tied the set at 25, Maryland scored the next two points on a Schmelzle kill and North Dakota State attack error.

Maryland could not sustain the second-set victory early in the third set, falling behind 10-5. The Bison then stretched the lead to eight at 14-6 and eventually doubled up the Terps at 20-10. The Bison eventually won the set, 25-16.

Maryland head coach Tim Horsmon received two yellow and red cards in the second set and was thus forced to leave the team bench for the rest of the set before returning for the rest of the match.

The Bison raced to a trio of four-point leads in the fourth set at 8-4, 10-6 and 12-8. The Terps twice got within two, but could not get any closer. North Dakota State led by as many as 10 in the set en route to a clinching 25-16 victory.

Usher led the Terps with 13 kills and three blocks. Freshman Lisa Scott added 10 kills. The Terps hit .094 in the match, compared to .184 for the Bison. Brooke Vandenbaugh led North Dakota State with 15 kills on .368 hitting.

Sophomore Brittney Grove posted a career-high 23 digs and freshman setter Sharon Strizak registered 18 assists and a pair of kills in her first collegiate action.

The Terps return to action tomorrow with a pair of matches, beginning with Jacksonville State at 3 p.m. and Tulane at 9 p.m.

-TERPS-