Volleyball Outlast Southern Miss in Five Sets

Sunday, October 7

Hattiesburg, MS

1:00 pm CT

Rice University

-144 (50 CUSA)

Southern Miss

-910 (33 CUSA)

RICE

Southern Miss

Photo by: Maria Lysaker/Rice Athletics

Volleyball Outlast Southern Miss in Five Sets

10/7/2018 4:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Rice 5-0 in C-USA play for first time in school history

By: Kenny

HATTIESBURG, MISS. – The Rice Owls volleyball team won their eighth straight match overall and improved to 5-0 in Conference USA play for the first time in school history with a five-set (22-25, 25-22, 25-17, 22-25, 15-12) road victory at Southern Miss Sunday afternoon.

Rice (14-4, 5-0) won their first five-set match of the season behind 19 kills and a season-high 21 digs from sophomore outside hitter Nicole Lennon, her team-leading ninth double-double of the season. Freshman middle blocker Anota Adekunle also had a superb performance, setting season-highs in kills (12), blocks (7), and points (18.0).

Setters Carly Graham (27 assists/13 digs) and Adria Martinez (19 assists/14 digs) each recorded double-doubles, their eighth and fifth of the season, respectively.
Defensively, the Owls set a season-high in conference play with 12.0 team blocks and 89 digs.

RICE HEAD COACH GENNY VOLPE
"A Southern Miss matchup is always tough. They have a senior core that is really strong and probably the scrappiest defensive team we have seen all season. We had to work very hard for a lot of points. I'm proud of how we fought back and showed resiliency."

HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1
Southern Miss hit a match-high .333 and led for a majority of the set after taking a 9-8 lead. The Golden Eagles opened up a lead as large as 15-9 before Rice began to battle back, eventually tying the score 22-22 with a late 8-3 run. However, Southern Miss scored the final three points to win 25-22.
Set 2
Lennon posted a team-high seven kills in the set and Rice fought back from a late 18-16 deficit to even the match with a 25-22 victory. Rice used a late 6-0 run, which included a pair of aces from junior middle blocker Grace Morgan, to go up 21-18. The Golden Eagles pulled to within 22-21 but a Lennon kill, Adekunle block, and Shelby Livingstone kill ended the game.
Set 3
Out of the break the Owls defense helped Rice take a 2-1 match lead by holding Southern Miss to a -.075 hitting percentage, which included 11 attack errors. Rice never trailed in the set, cruising to a 25-17 victory.
Set 4
Rice hit a match-low .156 in a 25-22 set four loss. Despite their offensive struggles, Rice closed a 23-18 deficit to 23-22 before a Southern Miss kill and Rice attack error sent the match to a fifth set.
Set 5
The Owls quickly jumped out to an 8-3 in the decisive set and never looked back. Adekunle posted two kills and three blocks and Lennon delivered the match-clinching final point to give Rice a 2-0 road trip.

MATCH NOTES
• The Owls eight-match win streak is the team's longest since their eight straight wins last year, and tied for the fifth-longest win streak in school history. The most consecutive wins by the Owls is 12 straight, set in 1995.
•Rice is 5-0 in C-USA play for the first time in school history. The last time the Owls began 5-0 in conference play they were members of the WAC in 2004 (started 7-0, finished 12-1).
• Rice improved to 1-2 in five-set matches this season.
• Lennon set a season-high with 21 digs as part of her team-leading ninth double-double (19 kills) of the season. Her 19 kills marked the eighth time this season with 15 or more kills.
• Adekunle set a season-high in kills (12 kills), blocks (7) and points (18.0).
• Morgan established a C-USA season-high with 13 kills.
• Graham notched her eighth double-double (27 assists/13 digs) of the season.
• Martinez also recorded a double-double (19 assists/14 digs), her fifth of the year.

UP NEXT
The Owls return home to the friendly confines of Tudor Fieldhouse for the start of a three-match homestand beginning on Friday, Oct. 12 against Marshall (6 p.m.). Rice will then host North Texas on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the team's annual Dig Pink match. For ticket information and links, be sure to visit www.RiceOwls.com and @RiceVolleyball on Twitter.

-RiceOwls.com-