Rice University
Tulane
Rice Edged At Tulane, 3-2
11/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 2, 2007
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Despite all five Rice hitters posting double-digit kills, the Owls' upset-bid of second-place Tulane was denied as the Owls were edged 24-30, 30-24, 26-30, 30-26, 15-13 in Conference USA volleyball action on Friday night in New Orleans, La.
Sophomore Natalie Bogan (Oakland, Calif.) and junior Karyn Morgan (Episcopal HS) led the Rice attack with 15 kills each. Sophomores Jennifer McClean (Cy Fair HS) and Jessie Boulavsky (Clear Brook HS) were next with 13 kills a piece. Freshman Caroline Gill (Fairhope, Ala.) had a stellar night both offensively and defensively for the Owls with 12 kills to go along with 11 block assists. Her block assist tally is the fourth best single-match in Rice history.
Also defensively, Boulavsky matched her career high of six blocks. In the back row, freshman Tracey Lam (San Francisco, Calif.) led the way with 22 digs, while McClean had 16 for her 12th double-double of the year. Freshman setter Meredith Schamun (Murrieta, Calif.) also recorded a double-double with 60 assists and 11 digs.
As a team, the Owls had their best blocking night of the year with 15 total. Rice also held Tulane, the league's most efficient offense at .283, to a .206 hitting percentage on the night.
After four ties in the early going of game one, the Owls looked to pull away building several three-point leads, but the Green Wave stayed close throughout. Tulane knotted the score at 20-20 and 21-21, but a Bogan kill sparked a 5-0 Rice run that put the Owls up for good in the frame.
The Green Wave stormed back in the second stanza opening with a 4-1 run and never looking back. Although Tulane led by as many as nine (22-13), Rice continued to fight with a 9-3 push to cut the margin to 25-22, but it wouldn't be enough.
The roles reversed in game three as Schamun opened play with a pair of aces, then Rice pulled away with a 7-2 lead. The Owls built a six-point advantage, but the Wave stayed close and narrowed the gap to just two at 24-22. Rice held off the attack to go up 2-1 in the match.
Neither team could gain the upper hand in game four. After Rice opened with a 3-0 start, Tulane answered right back with a 4-0 run and the race to the finish was on. The Green Wave took an 11-7 lead, and the Owls responded to knot the score at 12-12. Three ties later, Rice took a two-point lead, but Tulane was right there to tie the score again at 20 and 21, then retaking the lead. The Owls tied the score two more times before the Wave closed out with a 4-0 run to force game five.
After 10 ties in the fourth frame, the back-and-forth action intensified in the final stanza. Trailing 7-6, Rice scored four-straight to take a 10-7 lead, the largest margin of the game. Tulane came back with a 4-1 run to even the score at 11 each. Two ties later, the Wave held on to take the decision.
Tulane's Sara Radosevic led all hitters with 28 kills, and Ksenija Vlaskovic added 19.
The loss drops Rice to 10-15 on the year and 5-8 in C-USA play. The Owls continue their current road swing on Sunday, heading to El Paso to face off with UTEP at 1 pm (CST).
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