September 29, 2006

Box Score

VT 3, UMD 1

 

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Virginia Tech volleyball team beat Maryland for the first time in program history Friday night in Comcast Center Pavilion. The Hokies won the first game and dropped the second before rallying to win the final two games and post a 3-1 (30-24, 22-30, 30-24, 30-24) Atlantic Coast Conference win over the Terrapins. Tech improves to 10-4 on the season, 4-1 in the ACC, while Maryland drops to 7-5 overall and 0-3 in the ACC.

Freshmen Taylor Parrish and Michelle Lang, and sophomore Sarah MuÒoz each posted double-doubles for the Hokies. Parrish led the offense with 17 kills and picked up 12 digs, while Lang led the defense with 13 digs and dished out 42 assists in the win. Munoz knocked down 15 kills and had 11 digs.

Senior Katie Esbrook hit a match-high .429 with 10 kills and one error, while junior libero Amanda Cloyd picked up 10 digs for the Hokies. Junior Rachel Dulla placed a season-high three service aces, while Munoz added two.

Senior Allie Kupec led the charge at the net with seven blocks; tying a season-high six block assists. Junior Jen Albrecht, Esbrook and Parrish all posted four blocks, tying a career-high for both Albrecht and Parrish. Kupec also added a season-high nine kills.

Jade Brown led the Terps with a double-double of 14 kills and 14 digs. Beth Gillming also picked up 14 digs, while Tedi Doucet and Teryn Papp dished out 19 and 16 assists, respectively.

Tech opened Game 1 on a 7-2 run and maintained the lead the entire game. Maryland fought to come back, bringing the score within one at 13-14, however a kill by Albrecht kept the Terrapins from tying the score. A Terp attack error and a service ace from Cloyd put the Hokies up three at 17-14, sparking a 7-3 run for Tech and eventually leading to a 30-24 victory.

Maryland opened Game 2 on a 3-0 run before the Hokies went on a three-point run of their own to tie the game at 3-3. The Terps then scored four of the next five points to put themselves up 7-4 before a kill by Parrish, a Terp attack error and a kill by Munoz evened the score again, at seven.

Mary Beth Brown landed a kill and a service ace for Maryland to give the Terps the lead for good at 9-4. The Terps went on a late 7-2 run to roll to a 30-22 win and even the series at 1-1.

Tech started Game 3 with a 7-2 lead and never looked back. The Terps never held an advantage in the third game as the closest they came to tying the score, after 1-1, was a one-point deficit at 21-22. However, a service error ended their chance to even the score and the Hokies responded with a five point run to put them up 26-21.

A Maryland timeout looked to turn things around, as the Terps scored the first point out of the timeout with a block by Kathleen Wilson and Maggie Schmelzle, but Tech scored three consecutive points and four of the next six points to give them a 30-24 win and a game advantage in the series.

In a close Game 4, both teams rallied for an early lead. However, neither team held more than a two-point advantage until an ace from Dulla, a kill from Esbrook and a block by Parrish and Esbrook put the Hokies up 13-10. Parrish landed a kill to make it a four point lead and forcing a Maryland timeout.

Munoz landed an ace out of the timeout and a Terp attack error put the Hokies up 16-10. Parrish landed back-to-back kills to force another timeout for Maryland at 19-13.

The Terps fought to come back, but Tech increased their lead to eight at 25-17, and although Maryland scored eight of the next 12 points, the Hokies held on to win the game, and match, 30-24.

The Hokies are back in action Sunday, as they take on Boston College in Chesnut Hill. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.