Rice University
SMU
Owls Pound SMU in Volleyball 3-0
10/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 3, 2008
The Rice Owls volleyball team overcame a slow beginning to defeat SMU 3-0 in Conference USA volleyball action Friday night at Fox Gymnasium. Game scores were 25-22, 25-15, and 25-19. On the night, Rice pounded out 50 kills to SMU's 33 as the Owls improve to 10-3 overall and 2-1 in C-USA play. The Mustangs drop to 9-8 and 2-2 in league action.
The first set saw SMU take charge early with a 6-0 lead. Following a Rice timeout, the Owls were able to claw their way back into the match to be only down 12-16. From that point, Rice outscored SMU 13 to 6 for the win. It was 22-22 when the Owls tallied the final three points on a Natalie Bogan kill, a Jessica Holderness kill, and a service ace by Tracey Lam.
"In the first set we needed to clean up our first touch and slow the ball down," commented Rice head coach Genny Volpe. "Once we were able to do that we were able to be aggressive."
The Owls showed its aggressiveness in set two forging an 8-4 lead that quickly became 21-14. Lam again scored the decisive point, this time on a free ball kill. In set two, Rice hit .342 (17-4-38) to SMU's .056 (8-6-38).
Rice handled SMU in set three gaining a 19-12 edge following an 8-8 tie. A Bogan and Holderness assisted on a block for the match's final point.
Rice's Ashleigh McCord led with a match-high 13 kills and her teammate Karyn Morgan added 12 kills. Rice for the night hit .293 (50-16-116), while the Mustangs hit .149 (33-16-114).
Rice libéro Tracey Lam had another superb defensive match with a match-high 19 digs. Holderness also posted 18 digs.
"Tracey Lam was really phenomenal tonight," said Volpe. "Not only was she digging up hard hit balls, but she was getting them to the setter."
Conference USA's leading setter, Meredith Schamun, of Rice, totaled 40 assists on the evening to go with 9 digs and 3 kills.
The Owls now host Tulsa on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Fox Gym. Admission is free.
