DURHAM, N.C.. - In the first semifinal of the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Championship at Jack Katz Stadium in Durham, N.C., top seeded Maryland defeated No. 4 seed Virginia, 3-2 in overtime to advance to Sunday's ACC Championship Game. The Terrapins will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between North Carolina and Wake Forest, scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

"Virginia was a fast, pesky, very well coached team tonight," said Maryland head coach Missy Meharg. "Both teams tonight played very good tactical battles and it was a lot of fun to compete with them. My team had a lot of courage and followed direction very well tonight. We played a tremendous second half and we could have put ourselves in position to win 3-2 in regulation."

The teams both exchanged goals in the first half with Virginia taking an early lead off the stick of senior Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn. She was fed a penalty corner by sophomore Haley Carpenter for her ninth goal of the season. Maryland found the equalizer in the 23rd minute as the ACC's leading goal scorer and Defensive Player of the Year Susie Rowe scored her 23rd goal of the season. Her unassisted goal leveled the score at 1-1.

With less than a minute remaining in the first period, freshman Michelle Vittesse scored off a rebounded shot to give the Cavaliers a 2-1 lead into the halftime intermission.

The Terps responded in the 57th minute as Sophomore Meghan Dean posted her fifth goal of the campaign as she knocked a loose ball into the goal from three yards out. The goal leveled the score at 2-2, where it remained for the rest of regulation.

After 2:54 of overtime play, senior Ellen Ott scored her sixth goal of the season to put the Terrapins in the ACC Championship game. She was assisted by Rowe who led all scorers with three points in the match. The goal came off Maryland's ninth penalty corner of the match and first of the overtime session.

Maryland outshot Virginia 17-9 in the match while the goalkeepers were even with five saves each.

Maryland will now advance to the ACC Championship game for the 19th time in school history. The contest will start on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. between Maryland and the winner of Friday night's second semifinal between Wake Forest and North Carolina.