After fast start, Terps women can't stop No. 8 Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Maryland women's volleyball team accomplished more than it was expected to this season.

That didn't make it easier for coach Janice Kruger to swallow yesterday's loss at Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

"It's a little disappointing to have it all end," said Kruger, whose team, picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference, made the best NCAA showing in the school's history. "We won our first-round match and the first game of this four-game match. It's tough because we had opportunities and fought hard."

Maryland (22-10) caught the No. 8-ranked Buckeyes off guard in the first game with its middle blocking. The Terps won the opener, 15-12, but Ohio State took the last three, 15-10, 15-11, 15-13.

"I thought Maryland played a great first game," Ohio coach Jim Stone said. "I thought they were the toughest serving team we played against all year. They came out aggressive and had us back on our heels."

Maryland lost its passing game after the opening win. The lack of execution made a world of difference in the final three games.

"Ohio State did step it up, but we had a little trouble with our passing," Kruger said. "We gave them the opportunity to read what was going to happen, and therefore they were able to block us a little more successfully."

The telegraphed passes did little to slow Maryland senior Sherry Smith, who had 21 kills in her final collegiate match.

"I never thought of this as going to be my last match," Smith said. "We really believed we could do this, and after the first game, we knew we had what it took. We just had some miscommunications and made little mistakes that Ohio State took advantage of."

Maryland nearly fought off elimination in the fourth game. After falling behind 9-1, the Terps closed to 14-13 before falling.

"If we just could have gotten one more point," Kruger said.

Elizabeth Efron contributed 17 kills and two service aces for Maryland.

"We were in double digits in every game," Kruger said. "We dug a few holes but were able to keep our composure pretty good. Some teams are awe-struck the first time in this tournament, and I didn't feel we were that way at all.

"We got some breaks in the first game, and we just needed a couple more of them in the last three games."

Ohio State (22-7) advances to Thursday's regional match at Nebraska against the winner of last night's UCLA-Ball State match.

Second round

Yesterday

Ohio St. def. Maryland, 12-15, 15-10, 15-11, 15-13

Fla. def. Tex. Tech, 6-15, 13-15, 15-9, 15-5, 18-16

Notre Dame def. Iowa State, 15-3, 16-14, 15-10

Michigan State def. Brigham Young, 15-7, 15-9, 15-7

Texas def. George Washington, 15-6, 15-1, 15-6

Illinois def. Georgia, 15-10, 15-11, 10-15, 15-9.

Nebraska def. George Mason, 15-2, 15-5, 16-14

UCLA def. Ball St. 15-4, 15-4, 15-7.

Ariz. St. def. UCSB, 15-7, 13-15, 15-5, 4-15, 15-9

S. D. St. def. L. Beach St., 15-17, 15-13, 15-12, 15-11

N. Iowa (29-1) at Stanford (26-2)

Southern California (17-8) at Pacific

Today

South Carolina (21-10) at Texas A&M (22-6), 4 p.m.

Oral Roberts (28-2) at Wash. St. (22-6), 5 p.m.

Georgia Tech (29-6) at Penn State (26-7), 7 p.m.

Louisville (29-5) at Hawaii (29-0), 11 p.m.

Regional semifinals

Thursday or Friday

Sites and times TBA

East regional

Florida (34-1) vs. S. Carolina-Texas A&M winner

Texas (25-6) vs. Illinois (23-8)

Central regional

Nebraska (27-1) vs. Ga. Tech-Penn St. winner

Ohio St. (22-7) vs. UCLA (22-8)

Mountain regional

Louisville-Hawaii winner vs. Arizona St. (19-7)

San Diego St. (27-4) vs. Michigan St. (32-2)

Pacific regional

Notre Dame (27-6) vs. N. Iowa-Stanford winner

USC-Pacific winner vs. O. Roberts-Wash. St. winner