Rice University
UAB
OWLS KNOCKOUT UAB IN VOLLEYBALL - WIN 3-2
11/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 7, 2008
Behind Karyn Morgan's match-high 26 kills, the Rice Owls volleyball team knocked off Conference USA leading UAB three sets to two. Game scores were 25-20, 23-25, 26-28, 25-22, and 15-10. Rice now has 20 victories against five losses and is 11-3 in C-USA play. The Blazers drop to 22-4 overall and 12-2 in C-USA action.
"This match is what we expected against UAB," commented Rice head coach Genny Volpe. "They did a nice job exploiting our weaknesses in sets two and three, but I was really proud of how composed our team and stuck with the game plan and we also stepped up our serving to get UAB out of sync."
Morgan's 26 kills were one shy of tying her career-best of 27 vs. Illinois State in 2006.
"Karyn Morgan was definitely ready to play today and mixed up her attacks well," said Volpe.
Rice won set one with 16 kills to its credit, while limiting UAB to 9 kills and a .070 hitting percentage. The Owls were able to hit .205 in winning 25-20.
Sets two and three saw UAB overcome late deficits to pull out a win. UAB outhit Rice 15 kills to 11 in set two, and was behind 16-18 in set three before eventually winning a tight 28-26 score.
With the Owls up 22-21 in set four, Rice got kills by Morgan and two by Natalie Bogan to force a fifth set. Rice hit .286 with 18 kills and UAB had 11 kills and a .205 hitting percentage.
Rice opend up an 8-5 lead in set and then outscored the Blazers 7-5 to reach the 20-win mark. The Owls posted a .321 hitting percentage with 10 kills and one error, while UAB had 8 kills and a .161 attack percentage.
On the night, also in double-figures for Rice in kills were Natalie Bogan (15), Jessica Holderness (13), and Ashleigh McCord (10). Rice had 70 kills as a team and hit .230.
Morgan also posted a match-high .434 attack percentage (26 kills and 3 errors in 53 attempts).
Rice libero Tracey Lam dug up a career-high 39 kills to lead all defenders.
Said Volpe on the play of Lam, "Tracey Lam played really smart defense and did a great job of anticipating."
Owl setter Meredith Schamun had 56 assists.
UAB was led by Ivan Bozic's 17 kills and the Blazers had 64 kills and a .167 attack percentage.
"This was a nice win against a higher ranked team, but we understand that Memphis is here on Sunday and we have to be ready for the Tigers," concluded Volpe.
Memphis and Rice play at 1 p.m. on Nov. 9.
