When the Terrapin football team walked off the field in Blacksburg, Va., last season, the score told the entire story of an embarrassing loss against Virginia Tech.

As the Terps trudged off the freshly painted grass at Byrd Stadium last night, the final tally was again disappointing. But this time, the 28-9 score was merely one appraisal of their performance, as a packed student section dressed in black had to be impressed with the way the Terps (4-3, 2-2 ACC) hung with the No. 3-ranked Hokies (7-0, 4-0) for most of the night.

“I’m never happy when we lose, but I thought we fought harder than we did last year,” coach Ralph Friedgen said. “I think we got wore down more than anything else. Last year we just caved in.”

Shortly after Virginia Tech took the initial lead with an 8-yard touchdown scramble by quarterback Marcus Vick early in the second quarter, the Hokies were in position to spark another rout before a national television audience.

But on fourth and goal from the 1-yard line, Hokie tailback Mike Imoh was stuffed by Terp safety Milton Harris, and the ball fell loose to cornerback Gerrick McPhearson.

To conclude the ensuing drive, kicker Dan Ennis converted on a 38-yard field goal that snuck over the crossbar by a few feet.

The Terps got another break when Hokie kicker Brandon Pace’s attempt in the final seconds of the half caromed off the upright, sending the Terps sprinting into the locker room down 7-3.

“At halftime we were excited,” cornerback Josh Wilson said. “We thought we were about to knock off the No. 3 team in the nation.”

But when they returned to the field, the Terps were welcomed to a game that looked much more like the 55-6 drubbing of a year ago.

The Hokies marched down the field for a touchdown, and then an interception came back to haunt a Terp team that threw four in last season’s matchup.

Quarterback Sam Hollenbach made an overthrow that settled into the arms of Virginia Tech safety Justin Hamilton. Friedgen wrapped his arms around Derrick Fenner and had some words with the wide receiver.

As Friedgen had been saying all week, this was the type of turnover they couldn’t have.

“I ran a slant route and Sam had threw the ball and I was just trying to break up the pass,” Fenner said. “That’s the route I’m supposed to run.”

The Terps avoided a sudden demise with a Milton Harris interception, but Ennis couldn’t convert on another 38-yard opportunity. His kick appeared to be on line, but this time it fell a few feet shy of the crossbar.

That came one play after wide receiver Danny Melendez failed to land in bounds on a third down pass in the corner of the end zone.

The defense continued to preserve the Terps’ chances when linebacker D’Qwell Jackson picked off Vick on the next drive. But after three plays, the offense could only advance the ball 3 yards.

Friedgen said he wanted to go for it on fourth-and-7, but he was urged to allow Ennis another shot as special teams coach Ray Rychleski sent his unit onto the field. Ennis had the distance this time, but missed wide right.

“We could have used some points at that particular time,” Friedgen said. “Anytime you play a team of that caliber and you have opportunities that you don’t cash in on, you’re not going to win the football game.”

Just before the end of the third quarter, the Terps had yet another chance to climb back against a team that had outscored its opponents by a total of 182 points in its first six games.

Adam Podlesh dropped a punt on the 1-yard line, leaving the Hokies in the shadow of their own goal posts.

On the first play from scrimmage, Imoh was drilled by linebacker William Kershaw. The Terps were certain they had stopped him in the end zone for a safety, but the officials ruled that the tailback advanced the ball inside the 1.

Ten plays later, Imoh was in the opposite end zone to score his second touchdown and fourth in two career games against the Terps.

But Hokie coach Frank Beamer viewed this game much differently than last year’s blowout, and he couldn’t help but be impressed with the program his personal friend Friedgen has built in a less than five years.

“I thought we played a football team that was well-prepared,” Beamer said. “The atmosphere was really something else. – I feel very fortunate getting out of here with a win.”

But for the Terps, that’s hardly a consolation at this point. Knowing they could have had a chance at a monumental win may be just as hard to digest as a 49-point loss.

“Both were disappointing,” Harris said. I really can’t compare. Both of them hurt.”

Contact reporter David Selig at dseligdbk@gmail.com.