Friday, September 14
Houston, TX
6:30 pm CT
Rice University
vs
Ole Miss
Photo by: Maria Lysaker/Rice Athletics
Preview: Owls to Host Rice Adidas Invitational II
9/13/2018 10:15:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Final non-conference matches of the season
HOUSTON - The Rice Owls volleyball team returns to Tudor Fieldhouse this weekend to host their second tournament of the season in the Rice Adidas Invitational II. The Owls (6-4) will be playing their final non-conference matches of the season before entering Conference USA play next week.
The Owls will welcome in Ole Miss, Austin Peay, and McNeese St. for the two day event, which gets underway Friday morning.
Rice is slated for its first home match at 6:30 p.m. on Friday against Ole Miss. The Owls will take on Austin Peay at 11 a.m. Saturday, before concluding the tournament against McNeese St. at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
CUSAtv will provide streams of all the Rice matches while live stats for all matches will be available through RiceOwls.com. Stay updated with all things Rice volleyball by following the Owls on Twitter and Instagram at @RiceVolleyball as well as online at www.RiceOwls.com.
PROMOTIONS & TICKETS
FRI, 6:30 PM (Ole Miss) - Free donuts for students
SAT, 11 AM (Austin Peay) - Autographs following the match
General admission tickets are $10 and $8 for youth (ages 3-17). Tickets will be sold as all-day passes for Friday and Saturday. Fans can buy online here or by contacting the Rice Athletics Ticket Office at (713) 348-OWLS (6957). The box office at Tudor Fieldhouse will begin operating one hour prior to first serve.
TEAM NOTES
Austin Peay (2018 Record: 8-1, Ohio Valley Conference | Series Record: First Meeting)
The Governors enter play on Friday having won eight of nine matches overall and are a perfect 3-0 on the road. Austin Peay ranks ninth in the country in kills per set (14.52) and 10th in assists per set (13.58). Senior setter Kristen Stucker is 13th in the nation in assists per set (11.65) while junior outside hitter Jenna Panning leads the OVC in hitting percentage (.333).
McNeese State (2018 Record: 1-10, Southland Conference | Series Record: Rice leads, 8-1)
The Cowgirls snapped a 10-match losing streak and registered their first victory of the season on Wednesday with a sweep of Southern. Junior outside hitter Keegan Nelms leads McNeese with 83 kills and 96.5 points.
Ole Miss (2018 Record: 9-2, Southeastern Conference | Series Record: First Meeting)
The Rebels just saw their eight-match winning streak snapped on Tuesday with a five-set home loss to Memphis. Ole Miss ranks 10th in the nation in total kills (572) and 13th in total assists (535). Junior outside hitter Emily Stroup ranks second in the nation in total kills (197), second in total points (215.5), and seventh in total attacks (483). Last season the Rebels won the NIVC Championship, sweeping Texas Tech in the title match. They return 12 letterwinners and five starters from that team.
UP NEXT
The Owls continue their five-match homestand on Friday, Sept. 21 when they host UTEP at 6 p.m. to open up Conference USA play. Rice will then have the following Sunday (Sept. 23) open before returning to Tudor Fieldhouse on Friday, Sept. 28 to host UTSA at 6 p.m.
-RiceOwls.com-
The Owls will welcome in Ole Miss, Austin Peay, and McNeese St. for the two day event, which gets underway Friday morning.
Rice is slated for its first home match at 6:30 p.m. on Friday against Ole Miss. The Owls will take on Austin Peay at 11 a.m. Saturday, before concluding the tournament against McNeese St. at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
CUSAtv will provide streams of all the Rice matches while live stats for all matches will be available through RiceOwls.com. Stay updated with all things Rice volleyball by following the Owls on Twitter and Instagram at @RiceVolleyball as well as online at www.RiceOwls.com.
PROMOTIONS & TICKETS
FRI, 6:30 PM (Ole Miss) - Free donuts for students
SAT, 11 AM (Austin Peay) - Autographs following the match
General admission tickets are $10 and $8 for youth (ages 3-17). Tickets will be sold as all-day passes for Friday and Saturday. Fans can buy online here or by contacting the Rice Athletics Ticket Office at (713) 348-OWLS (6957). The box office at Tudor Fieldhouse will begin operating one hour prior to first serve.
TEAM NOTES
- Rice, who is receiving votes in the latest VolleyballMag.com Mid-Major Poll, is coming off a four-set loss at Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday.
- Junior middle blocker Grace Morgan leads all of C-USA in blocks per set (1.26)and is fourth in hitting percentage (.351).
- Owls junior libero Lee Ann Cunningham ranks 20th in the country in total digs (195) and 44th in digs per set (5.00). Cunningham ranks seventh in Rice history with 1,286 career digs and her 4.54 career digs per set ranks second in Owls history.
- Sophomore outside hitter Nicole Lennon is fourth in C-USA in total kills (141) and third in points (391).
- Junior outside hitter Tori Woogk has been on a tear of late, registering 30 kills over the last two matches while hitting .397 over eight sets.
- The Owls lead all of C-USA in digs per set (18.21-9th in nation), opponents hitting percentage (.146-20th in nation), and team attacks per set (38.18-20th in nation).
Austin Peay (2018 Record: 8-1, Ohio Valley Conference | Series Record: First Meeting)
The Governors enter play on Friday having won eight of nine matches overall and are a perfect 3-0 on the road. Austin Peay ranks ninth in the country in kills per set (14.52) and 10th in assists per set (13.58). Senior setter Kristen Stucker is 13th in the nation in assists per set (11.65) while junior outside hitter Jenna Panning leads the OVC in hitting percentage (.333).
McNeese State (2018 Record: 1-10, Southland Conference | Series Record: Rice leads, 8-1)
The Cowgirls snapped a 10-match losing streak and registered their first victory of the season on Wednesday with a sweep of Southern. Junior outside hitter Keegan Nelms leads McNeese with 83 kills and 96.5 points.
Ole Miss (2018 Record: 9-2, Southeastern Conference | Series Record: First Meeting)
The Rebels just saw their eight-match winning streak snapped on Tuesday with a five-set home loss to Memphis. Ole Miss ranks 10th in the nation in total kills (572) and 13th in total assists (535). Junior outside hitter Emily Stroup ranks second in the nation in total kills (197), second in total points (215.5), and seventh in total attacks (483). Last season the Rebels won the NIVC Championship, sweeping Texas Tech in the title match. They return 12 letterwinners and five starters from that team.
UP NEXT
The Owls continue their five-match homestand on Friday, Sept. 21 when they host UTEP at 6 p.m. to open up Conference USA play. Rice will then have the following Sunday (Sept. 23) open before returning to Tudor Fieldhouse on Friday, Sept. 28 to host UTSA at 6 p.m.
-RiceOwls.com-
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/OPP
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