Aug. 24, 2007

CINCINNATI - Maryland's Beth Gillming and Maggie Schmelzle had big games for the Terrapins' volleyball team in the return to their hometown of Cincinnati and Maryland won a four-game decision (30-14, 23-30, 30-21, 30-9) over the Oakland Grizzlies in the opening game of the 2007 State Farm Bearcats Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor Hotel on Friday.

Gillming led the Terps (1-0) with 15 kills and Schmelzle notched 30 digs in the season opener for both teams.

The Terps won game one on the heels of Gillming's five kills before dropping game two. After falling behind quickly in the third game, the Terps ripped off eight of the next nine points to grab an 8-3 lead and led by as many as 11 points on two different occasions in the victory. The fourth and final game of the match played out like most of the third with Maryland seizing control early and coasting to the 21-point victory.

Maryland junior Mary Beth Brown finished with 12 kills, including three early in the third game, and sophomore Katie Usher also finished with double-digit kills, recording 11. Junior Tedi Doucet had 45 assists. Gillming's 16 total points paced the Terps' attack.

Sophomore Adrienne Leone led the Grizzlies (0-1) with 14 kills.

The Terrapins won't have much time to revel in their victory as they have to play Southern Miss Saturday at 10 a.m. Maryland finishes the invitational Saturday night at 7:30 against the host Bearcats of Cincinnati.