Sept. 19, 2009
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Needing to defeat UMBC in four or less sets to win the Spring Hill Suites at Arundel Mills Terrapin Invitational, the University of Maryland volleyball team accomplished just that Saturday evening, winning 3-1 to win a three-way tie and claim the tournament title.
It was Maryland's second tournament championship in as many weeks, as the team also won a tiebreaker to win last week's Georgetown Classic.
The Terrapins (8-5) cruised in the opening set, 25-17, but dropped set No. 2, 25-20. Tied at 1-1, the Terps had to win the next two sets to win the tournament crown and they got the job done, winning 25-18 and 25-18.
Sophomore outside hitter Maddi Lee led the Terps with 16 kills in the victory.
Freshman libero Sam Rosario was named tournament MVP, while Katie Usher and Taylor Jones also made the all-tournament team for Maryland.
An early 7-1 run gave UMBC (6-7) a two-point lead at 7-5. However, the Terps answered with a 6-0 run to go up 11-7 and Maryland was never threatened again, winning by eight. The Terps held the Retrievers to .000 hitting in the set.
Despite losing the first set by eight, the Retrievers came out on fire to start the second set, scoring the first eight points. Trailing by as many as 10 points, Maryland mounted a rally to get within two points at 19-17, but got no closer.
With the match knotted at 1, the Terps came out of the 10-minute break on a roll, taking a 10-5 lead. Maryland scored the first point of the stanza and never trailed. The Retrievers couldn't get going on offense, hitting -.029.
With the tournament to be decided by the winner of the fourth set, the Terps again never trailed. Maryland grabbed an 8-2 lead to force an early UMBC timeout. The Retrievers rallied and cut the deficit to two on a couple occasions. Holding a 14-2 lead, the Terps scored four consecutive times to re-take a comfortable six-point advantage.
Up 24-18 and serving tournament point, Lee tallied the winning score off a set from Jones.
Usher added 11 kills and seven blocks for the Terps. Naomi Bush paced UMBC with 10 kills.
Non-conference play is now over for the Terps. Maryland only has two days off before Atlantic Coast Conference play begins Tuesday at Boston College with a 3 p.m. matinee.
2009 Spring Hill Suites at Arundel Mills Terrapin Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Sam Rosario - Maryland (MVP)
- Katie Usher - Maryland
- Taylor Jones - Maryland
- Ivana Rich - VCU
- Kristin Boyd - VCU
- Alyssa Lang - UMBC
- Gazelle d'Artois - Howard
- TERPS -
