Oct. 25, 2009

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Trailing two sets to one and down four points to Virginia Tech in the late stages of the fourth set, the University of Maryland volleyball team was on the brink of dropping its sixth straight match of the season. However, Taylor Jones brought the team back on the strength of her serve and Maddi Lee caught fire late to rally the Terps to a 3-2 victory Sunday afternoon at Comcast Pavilion.

Lee led Maryland with 14 kills, including the final two of the fourth set and first four of the fifth set to lead the Terps (11-13, 3-8 ACC) against the Hokies (16-6, 6-5 ACC). Maryland won by scores of 18-25, 25-15, 16-25, 25-23 and 15-13 to snap Virginia Tech's five-match winning streak.

"Our team needed that. I'm so happy for them that they get to walk out of here today and feel good about the weekend," Maryland head coach Tim Horsmon said. "I feel like we really accomplished something, today. I'm just really happy for our team right now."

Virginia Tech appeared on the verge of winning the match, holding a 22-18 lead in the fourth set. A pair of errors and a Remy McBain kill brought Maryland within one, forcing a Hokie timeout. The Hokies scored out of the timeout to cut the lead 23-21 and put the Terps on their heels.

Freshman Kara Bates brought the Terps back within one on a kill and put Jones at the service line with the set hanging in the balance. Jones' aggressive serving gave the Hokies problems in serve-receive and they couldn't find a rhythm. Maryland took advantage with a Hokie setting error and a pair of kills from Lee to finish the set on a 4-0 run and send the match to a fifth and decisive set.

Spurred on by the late surge in the fourth set, the Terps began the final set where they left off. Lee recorded four consecutive kills to give Maryland a 4-0 lead and force an early Virginia Tech timeout.

Holding an 8-3 lead in the fifth set, Maryland looked to be in complete control. However, the Hokies would not quit. Virginia Tech embarked on a 10-4 run to take a one-point lead at 13-12, again putting the Terps' backs against the wall.

But the Hokies would not score again. Lisa Scott tied the score at 13 apiece with a kill and an attack error by Erin Leaser gave match point to Maryland, 14-13, with the Terps' top server, Sam Rosario, headed to the line. Fittingly, Rosario, the conference leader in service aces, clinched the match with an ace, as Jill Gergen couldn't handle the spin and the ball spiraled into the stands, eliciting a raucous celebration at midcourt for the victorious Terps.

The Hokies hit .393 in the opening set to win by seven, but the Terps returned the favor in the second set, out-hitting the Hokies .429-.000 en route to a 10-point win to knot the match at 1-1. Virginia Tech hit well again in the third set, finishing at .308 in the frame to take a 2-1 lead.

McBain and Jones distributed the ball equally at the setter position in the match, as six Maryland players recorded at least seven kills. Other than Lee's team-best 14 kills, Bates finished with 10, McBain and Scott finished with eight and Katie Usher and Brittney Grove both finished with seven. Usher and Grove had six blocks apiece and Rosario finished with a match-high 16 digs.

Jennifer Wiker paced the Hokies with 15 kills.

The Terps are on the road next weekend for matches Friday and Saturday at Wake Forest and Duke, respectively.

- TERPS -