Rice University
Tulsa
Tulsa Edges Rice in 3-2 Marathon Decision
10/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 7, 2007
TULSA, Okla. -- The Rice volleyball team lost a tough marathon bout at Tulsa, falling 29-31, 30-28, 30-27, 22-30, 15-11 in Conference USA action in a match that lasted two and a half hours in Tulsa, Okla.
Junior Jessica Holderness (Sycamore, Ill.) led the Owls with 15 kills, while sophomore Jessie Boulavsky (Clear Creek HS) was next with 14 and a match best .462 hitting percentage (14-2-26). Boulavsky also matched her career best of six blocks. Sophomore Natalie Bogan (Oakland, Calif.) and freshman Caroline Gill (Fairhope, Ala.) also had six blocks each to lead the front row defense.
In the back row, the Owls recorded a season high 109 digs, led by freshman Tracey Lam's (San Francisco, Calif.) 25 and sophomore Jennifer McClean's (Cy Fair HS) 20.
"Our defense is strong and as a corps there's more determination and fighting spirit on this team than I've seen since I've been here," observed head coach Genny Volpe. "Overall we are optimistic about what we are seeing on the court."
The Owls jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead to open play, but the Golden Hurricane ran off five straight points to snare the momentum. Rice fought back and after a pair of ties, took the lead on a Holderness kill and a block from Bogan and freshman Meredith Schamun (Murrieta, Calif.). Tulsa stayed close and knotted the score at 28 and 29 before Bogan scored a kill and McClean served up an ace to hand the Owls the first game.
Neither team could grab the momentum to open the second, trading points through seven ties. Rice finally broke the stalemate to build a 12-8 lead, but once again Tulsa responded with a 6-1 run to retake the lead. After two more ties, the Hurricane pulled away and held off a late Rice surge to even the match score.
The Hurricane kept control to start the third frame opening with a 6-1 start. The Owls chipped away at the gap to close to close to 11-10, but Tulsa rallied back with a 5-0 run to regain control. After the Hurricane built a 22-14 lead, Rice continued to attack and closed the margin to a single point at 25-24. The teams traded the next six points before Tulsa closed out the frame.
Rice rebounded in the fourth game, taking a 4-1 lead. The scoring stayed close and Tulsa tied things up at 13 and 14 before building a 17-14 lead. After shifting in favor of the home team, the momentum once again took a turn in favor of the visitors as the Owls tied the score then grabbed a 22-21 lead on a big block from Boulavsky and Gill. The Hurricane scored a final time before Karyn Morgan connected on a kill and Boulavksy and Gill teamed again to launch an 8-0 run to close out the frame and force the deciding fifth.
The momentum pendulum continued to swing in game five with Tulsa scoring three of the first four. Rice then stormed back to go up 8-3, the Hurricane battled back to knot the score at 8-8, the first of four ties down the stretch. Tulsa snared the momentum for the final time, posting a 4-0 run to close out the match and take the win.
"In the last two losses, we have out-hit, out-blocked, out-dug and, at SMU, out-served out opponents," noted Volpe. "On the stat sheet we are winning but its coming down to serving and the little things in the end."
Tulsa's Fabiola Nepomuceno led all hitters with 27 kills, and Malorey Grove had a match best 36 digs.
The loss drops Rice to 8-10 on the year and 3-3 in C-USA action. The Owls return home next weekend, hosting UTEP on Friday at 7 pm and Tulane on Sunday at 1 pm. Both matches will be played at Fox Gym.
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