Friday, October 12
Houston, TX
6:00 pm CT
Rice University
15-4, 6-0
3
vs
2
Marshall
9-12, 2-5
1
2
3
4
5
F
Marshall
27
25
25
14
10
2
Rice
25
22
27
25
15
3
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Owls Rally to Defeat Marshall in Five Sets
10/12/2018 10:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Rice pushes win streak to nine straight
HOUSTON – The Rice Owls volleyball team dug themselves out of a 0-2 deficit Friday evening at Tudor Fieldhouse to defeat the Marshall Thundering Herd in five sets for the team's ninth consecutive win.
Rice (15-4, 6-0) had six players with 10 or more kills and five players record double-doubles in the victory.
Sophomore outside hitter Nicole Lennon led the Owls with 18 kills and 17 digs for her team-leading 10th double-double of the season. The Katy, Texas native has a double-double in five of the six C-USA matches she has played in.
Junior middle blocker Grace Morgan had the most-efficient outing of any player on the court on Friday, recording 13 kills on 26 attacks (.423). Junior outside hitter Tori Woogk tied a C-USA season-high with 12 kills on 24 attacks (.333) while senior Shelby Livingstone, sophomore Kassidy Muse and freshman Anota Adekunle chipped in 10 kills as well.
Rice setters Adria Martinez (28 assists, season-high 21 digs) and Carly Graham (27 assists, 15 digs) each recorded double-doubles in the victory, their seventh and 10th such performances of the season, respectively.
With the win, the Owls remained alone in first place in the C-USA standings, a game up on both Florida Atlantic (5-1) and UTSA (5-1).
Marshall (9-12, 2-5) received a match-high 28 kills from Ciara Debell, who took 88 swings.
RICE HEAD COACH GENNY VOLPE
"We really didn't get comfortable with ourselves until probably the middle of the third set. That was a little concerning because we're usually pretty consistent from an offensive perspective and definitely on defense. Credit to our team that we did settle down and didn't panic. We found a way to be successful against a team that just wouldn't back down. We've got to be better and be more consistent and we know it."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1
After 13 ties and seven lead changes, Marshall broke through first on Friday for a 27-25 victory over the Owls. Rice held set point (25-24) but a kill from Debell tied the frame and started a 3-0 run, which sealed the match. Morgan posted six kills on seven attacks for the Owls but Marshall had the upper hand, outhitting Rice .280-.250 as a team.
Set 2
The Herd outscored the Owls 5-2 down the stretch to take a 2-0 match lead with a 25-22 triumph in set two. Debell led all players with seven kills in the set while Woogk had five kills for the Owls. Marshall hit just .231 but Rice was slightly lower at .205.
Set 3
Rice staved off a late Marshall rally to force a fourth set with a 27-25 win. The Owls offense came to life, hitting .295 as a team. Rice opened up a lead as large as 17-10 before Marshall dwindled it down to a 25-25 tie. However, consecutive kills from Woogk and Muse gave Rice new life.
Set 4
In the fourth set the Owls hit .324 as a team, led by eight kills from Lennon. Defensively Rice limited Marshall to a .081 hitting percentage and the Owls never trailed in a match-tying 25-14 victory.
Set 5
The Owls broke through after a 4-4 tie, outscoring Marshall 11-6 the rest of the way behind three kills from Muse. Rice had 16 digs in the fifth set alone and Marshall mustered just a .069 hitting clip in the Owls' 15-10 win.
MATCH NOTES
• The Owls nine-match win streak is the team's longest since 2009 and tied for the fourth-longest win streak in school history. The most consecutive wins by the Owls is 12 straight, set in 1995.
•Rice is 6-0 in C-USA play for the first time in school history. The last time the Owls started at least 5-0 in conference play they were members of the WAC in 2004 (started 7-0, finished 12-1).
• Rice improved to 2-2 in five-set matches this season.
• The Owls have five players with double-doubles for the first time this season: Lennon (18 kills/17 digs); Martinez (28 assists/21 digs); Livingstone (10 kills; 18 digs); Cunningham (14 assists/19 digs); and Graham (27 assists/15 digs).
• Rice established a season-high with 104 digs with five players recording 15 or more digs.
• The Owls had six players with 10 or more kills, a first this season.
• Rice remains alone in first place in the C-USA standings with a one game lead on Florida Atlantic (5-1) and UTSA (5-1).
UP NEXT
The Owls return to action on Sunday when they host North Texas at 1 p.m. in the team's annual Dig Pink match. Fans that show their Oct. 13 football ticket will gain FREE ADMISSION to the match. Pink shirts will be available for purchase with proceeds going to Dig Pink. The first 100 students will also receive pink t-shirts. For ticket information and links, be sure to visit www.RiceOwls.com and @RiceVolleyball on Twitter.
-RiceOwls.com-
Rice (15-4, 6-0) had six players with 10 or more kills and five players record double-doubles in the victory.
Sophomore outside hitter Nicole Lennon led the Owls with 18 kills and 17 digs for her team-leading 10th double-double of the season. The Katy, Texas native has a double-double in five of the six C-USA matches she has played in.
Junior middle blocker Grace Morgan had the most-efficient outing of any player on the court on Friday, recording 13 kills on 26 attacks (.423). Junior outside hitter Tori Woogk tied a C-USA season-high with 12 kills on 24 attacks (.333) while senior Shelby Livingstone, sophomore Kassidy Muse and freshman Anota Adekunle chipped in 10 kills as well.
Rice setters Adria Martinez (28 assists, season-high 21 digs) and Carly Graham (27 assists, 15 digs) each recorded double-doubles in the victory, their seventh and 10th such performances of the season, respectively.
With the win, the Owls remained alone in first place in the C-USA standings, a game up on both Florida Atlantic (5-1) and UTSA (5-1).
Marshall (9-12, 2-5) received a match-high 28 kills from Ciara Debell, who took 88 swings.
"We really didn't get comfortable with ourselves until probably the middle of the third set. That was a little concerning because we're usually pretty consistent from an offensive perspective and definitely on defense. Credit to our team that we did settle down and didn't panic. We found a way to be successful against a team that just wouldn't back down. We've got to be better and be more consistent and we know it."
Set 1
After 13 ties and seven lead changes, Marshall broke through first on Friday for a 27-25 victory over the Owls. Rice held set point (25-24) but a kill from Debell tied the frame and started a 3-0 run, which sealed the match. Morgan posted six kills on seven attacks for the Owls but Marshall had the upper hand, outhitting Rice .280-.250 as a team.
Set 2
The Herd outscored the Owls 5-2 down the stretch to take a 2-0 match lead with a 25-22 triumph in set two. Debell led all players with seven kills in the set while Woogk had five kills for the Owls. Marshall hit just .231 but Rice was slightly lower at .205.
Set 3
Rice staved off a late Marshall rally to force a fourth set with a 27-25 win. The Owls offense came to life, hitting .295 as a team. Rice opened up a lead as large as 17-10 before Marshall dwindled it down to a 25-25 tie. However, consecutive kills from Woogk and Muse gave Rice new life.
Set 4
In the fourth set the Owls hit .324 as a team, led by eight kills from Lennon. Defensively Rice limited Marshall to a .081 hitting percentage and the Owls never trailed in a match-tying 25-14 victory.
Set 5
The Owls broke through after a 4-4 tie, outscoring Marshall 11-6 the rest of the way behind three kills from Muse. Rice had 16 digs in the fifth set alone and Marshall mustered just a .069 hitting clip in the Owls' 15-10 win.
• The Owls nine-match win streak is the team's longest since 2009 and tied for the fourth-longest win streak in school history. The most consecutive wins by the Owls is 12 straight, set in 1995.
•Rice is 6-0 in C-USA play for the first time in school history. The last time the Owls started at least 5-0 in conference play they were members of the WAC in 2004 (started 7-0, finished 12-1).
• Rice improved to 2-2 in five-set matches this season.
• The Owls have five players with double-doubles for the first time this season: Lennon (18 kills/17 digs); Martinez (28 assists/21 digs); Livingstone (10 kills; 18 digs); Cunningham (14 assists/19 digs); and Graham (27 assists/15 digs).
• Rice established a season-high with 104 digs with five players recording 15 or more digs.
• The Owls had six players with 10 or more kills, a first this season.
• Rice remains alone in first place in the C-USA standings with a one game lead on Florida Atlantic (5-1) and UTSA (5-1).
The Owls return to action on Sunday when they host North Texas at 1 p.m. in the team's annual Dig Pink match. Fans that show their Oct. 13 football ticket will gain FREE ADMISSION to the match. Pink shirts will be available for purchase with proceeds going to Dig Pink. The first 100 students will also receive pink t-shirts. For ticket information and links, be sure to visit www.RiceOwls.com and @RiceVolleyball on Twitter.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
MAR
RICE
Kills
64
77
Errors
25
25
Attempts
212
195
Hitting %
.184
.267
Points
75.0
91.0
Assists
59
71
Aces
4
5
Blocks
7.0
9.0
Game Leaders
Kills
18
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOPP
/ Women's VolleyballOH/OPP
/ Women's VolleyballVB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
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VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
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