Rice University
Binghamton
Owls Defeat Binghamton 3-0 - Capture BGSU Best Western Invitational
9/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2008
Bowling Green, Ohio - The Rice Owls volleyball team defeated Binghamton 3-0 to capture the BGSU Best Western Invitational. Game scores were 25-18, 25-16, and 25-21.
This was Rice's first in-season tournament championship where it swept all three opponents since winning the Crown Plaza/Rice Invitational in 2005.
The Owls are now 8-2, while the Bearcats dropped to 3-11.
"It was really nice to win two matches today," said Rice head coach Genny Volpe. "I am very proud of the team in the way it competed. Even when Binghamton went on a run, the team stayed composed and confident."
In the first set with score tied at 8-8, the Owls went on a 8-3 run to take a 16-11 lead that they would not relinquish. Natalie Bogan led Rice with 7 kills and a .667 attack percentage as the Owls outhit the Bearcats .343 (18-6-35) to .147 (10-5-34). Jenn McClean also had 2 key service aces late in the set.
Set two saw Rice forge a 15-10 lead before Binghamton battled back to within one at 16-15. The Owls, again behind the strong serving of McClean, proceeded to outscore the Bearcats 9 to 1 polish off set two. Rice libero Tracey Lam was excellent defensively with 10 digs and Bogan led the Owls with 4 kills.
It was nip and tuck the whole way in set three. The score was tied at 13-13 before the Owls went on a 6-2 run to take a 19-15 lead and never looked back. Binghamton did not give up, however, and battled back to be only down 23-21. Jessica Holderness led Rice with 7 kills.
For the match, Bogan led Rice with 13 kills and Holderness followed with 11. Bogan did sport a .476 attack percentage to lead all hitters (13-3-21). Lam dug a match-high 24 digs and Meredith Schamun had 42 assists. McClean served a match-high 3 service aces.
Rice outhit Binghamton .273 (46-16-110) to .113 (34-21-115).
Senior Karyn Morgan was voted as the tournament's most valuable player, while Holderness and Lam were selected to the all-tournament team.
Rice now prepares for Conference USA action next weekend when it travels to UTEP on Friday and to Tulane on Sunday.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
