No. 25 Hurricanes Stop Maryland with 3-1 Victory

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Senior All-America outside hitter Lane Carico registered her second 20-20 effort of the year Sunday, helping the 25th-ranked University of Miami to a 3-1 win over the University of Maryland in an Atlantic Coast Conference volleyball match inside the Comcast Center Pavilion.

Miami (17-3, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) hit .300 in the opening set, followed by a .229 average in the second as the Hurricanes and Terrapins were tied at one set apiece heading into the intermission between sets two and three.

Maryland (9-14, 3-8 ACC) was limited to just a .029 clip in the third frame, while the visiting Hurricanes used a match-high .306 hitting percentage behind four kills each from Alex Johnson, Ali Becker and Carico. Miami also got solid play from libero Ryan Shaffer in the set with six digs to earn the 25-13 win.

The fourth set was the most exciting for all involved.

The Terps led 18-14 in the fourth frame following a kill from Adreene Elliott off the set of Remy McBain. The Hurricanes would trail at 20-17 before Carico registered three consecutive kills to knot the score at 20. In fact, the three kills from the Manhattan Beach, Calif. native would start a 7-0 run that also saw kills from freshman middle blocker Emani Sims and setter Katie Gallagher, allowing UMiami to surge in front, 24-20.

Maryland cut into the Canes’ lead with a 3-0 run sparked by an error charged to UMiami, as well as a McBain kill. After a service ace from Caitlin Adams, the Terps trailed by just one, 24-23.

In the end, it was only fitting that UMiami’s all-time leader in kills – Carico – place the final shot for the win, 25-23.

In the match, Carico picked up her second 20-20 outing of the year with a match-high 20 kills and season-high 26 digs, one shy of tying her career-high set during her freshman campaign in 2008. Johnson also picked up a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs, adding three blocks from her right side position. And it was Becker placing 13 kills and three blocks.

Gallagher supplied a match-high 49 assists and season-high tying 19 digs for the double-double, while Taylor Hollins pitched in with 13 digs, four kills and four assists from her outside hitter position.

Maryland was led by Elliott with 11 kills and Adams with 10. McBain handed out 34 assists, and teammate Sarah Harper led the defensive charge with 25 digs.

The Canes get back to action Friday, Oct. 28 when they host the Virginia Cavaliers inside the James L. Knight Sports Complex at 7 p.m.

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