December 12, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Clutch free throw shooting and two big three-point baskets in the final three minutes gave Virginia Tech a 60-57 win Wednesday night over the Maryland Terrapins at the Comcast Center. The win was the fourth consecutive for the Hokies and snapped an eight-game away losing streak dating back to last season.

Tech (5-1), which had led by as many as seven points in the second half, found itself trailing 51-46 with four minutes remaining in the game. A Fran Recchia (r-Fr., Flower Mound, Tex.) layup cut the margin to three and Ieva Kublina (Jr., Riga, Latvia) tied the game at 51 with a three-pointer at the three minute mark.

After each team added a free throw, Vicki Brick briefly put Maryland ahead 54-52 on a jumper but Recchia buried a trey to put Tech up to stay at 55-54 with 1:22 remaining in the game. The Hokies hit 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Kublina led the Hokies with 17 points followed by Davina Simmons (Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C.) with 10 points and seven rebounds. Emily Lipton (Sr., Crofton, Md.) added seven points and seven assists.

Maryland (3-4) was led by Reenika Razor's 27 points and Terri Daniels with 10.

The victory was also Tech's 12th straight in the month of December. The Hokies will play at Liberty Saturday in a noon contest. The game will be televised live on Comcast Sports Southeast, the Liberty Channel and the SkyAngel Satellite Network and will be tape-delayed at 11:30 p.m. on WSET-TV 13.