Saturday, October 16
Ruston, LA
1:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
-115,60 CUSA
3
at
1
Louisiana Tech
-616,08 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Rice
25
25
21
25
3
Louisiana Tech
11
16
25
15
1
Lennon Breaks Rice Career Kills Record in Win at LA Tech
10/16/2021 3:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Surpasses Rebeca Pazo for most kills in program history
RUSTON, LA – Rice Volleyball senior outside hitter Nicole Lennon became the program's all-time leader in career kills in Saturday's 3-1 (25-11, 25-16, 21-25, 25-15) victory Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Tech, the team's sixth consecutive victory.
Lennon surpassed Rice legend Rebeca Pazo (1,969 kills; 2001-04) with a match-high 20 kills and broke the record at the backend of the second set. Pazo established the record in 404 sets while Lennon surpassed her in her 475th frame.
The Owls (11-5, 6-0), who are still receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, were sensational offensively on Saturday as they hit .360 as a team with 70 kills. Lennon led all players with the 20 kills on 35 attacks for a .571 hitting percentage. She also added nine digs and three blocks for 23.0 points.
Junior middle blocker Anota Adekunle posted her second straight strong performance with 12 kills on 18 attacks (.556) while freshman middle blocker Shaylee Shore (9 kills) and freshman outside hitter Sahara Maruska (8 kills) helped lead a balanced charge.
Rice junior setter Carly Graham achieved her ninth double-double of the year with 52 assists and 15 digs while also adding four kills. She was one of four Owls in double-figure digs, joining Elizabeth LaBue (17 digs), Nia McCardell (15), and Maruska (10 digs).
The Owls held Tech (6-16, 0-8) to a .149 hitting clip and just 38 total kills over the four sets.
Postgame Reaction - Head Coach Genny Volpe
"I was very pleased with how we started the match and how we finished. But we allowed them to score at a high rate in set three which ended up hurting us there. But the highlight was definitely seeing Nicole make history and breaking the all-time kill record. Nicole has helped elevate Rice Volleyball to new heights and I couldn't be more proud of her. She is the entire package. I can't wait to see how she caps off her stellar career here at Rice as we hope to continue to make history as a team."
Nicole Lennon on breaking record...
"I love Rice Volleyball, and playing with this team has been the best 4.5 years of my life. Being able to break the career kills record makes me feel like I really made an impact in my time here in helping my team find success. I can't wait to keep winning some games and balling with my teammates!"
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The Owls used a 9-0 run in the early stages to break the game open en route to a 25-11victory. Rice hit .600 for the frame with five different Owls registering kills, led by six from Lennon and four apiece from Shore and Maruska. The Owls totaled 19 kills as a team and had just one attack error on 30 attacks with Graham distributing 13 assists.
Second Set
Rice won 25-16 as they held Tech to just eight kills and a .064 hitting percentage while the Owls added 17 more kills. Lennon caught fire with eight kills in the frame on 14 attacks, including the one that clinched history on point No. 22 on an assist from LaBue.
Third Set
The Lady Techsters scored the final four points of the frame to break a 21-21 tie to win 25-21. Adekunle and Danyle Courtley posted four kills apiece for the Owls but Tech hit .360 for the set and took advantage of six attack errors and four service errors by the Owls.
Fourth Set
Rice halted Tech's momentum with a convincing 25-15 match-clinching victory. Lennon came back with six more kills on 13 attacks and Adekunle added five kills as Rice hit .436 as a squad and posted an 86 percent sideout rate.
UP NEXT
The Owls return home to Houston for a weekend series with Southern Miss, Oct. 22-23.
Lennon surpassed Rice legend Rebeca Pazo (1,969 kills; 2001-04) with a match-high 20 kills and broke the record at the backend of the second set. Pazo established the record in 404 sets while Lennon surpassed her in her 475th frame.
The Owls (11-5, 6-0), who are still receiving votes in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll, were sensational offensively on Saturday as they hit .360 as a team with 70 kills. Lennon led all players with the 20 kills on 35 attacks for a .571 hitting percentage. She also added nine digs and three blocks for 23.0 points.
Junior middle blocker Anota Adekunle posted her second straight strong performance with 12 kills on 18 attacks (.556) while freshman middle blocker Shaylee Shore (9 kills) and freshman outside hitter Sahara Maruska (8 kills) helped lead a balanced charge.
Rice junior setter Carly Graham achieved her ninth double-double of the year with 52 assists and 15 digs while also adding four kills. She was one of four Owls in double-figure digs, joining Elizabeth LaBue (17 digs), Nia McCardell (15), and Maruska (10 digs).
The Owls held Tech (6-16, 0-8) to a .149 hitting clip and just 38 total kills over the four sets.
"I was very pleased with how we started the match and how we finished. But we allowed them to score at a high rate in set three which ended up hurting us there. But the highlight was definitely seeing Nicole make history and breaking the all-time kill record. Nicole has helped elevate Rice Volleyball to new heights and I couldn't be more proud of her. She is the entire package. I can't wait to see how she caps off her stellar career here at Rice as we hope to continue to make history as a team."
Nicole Lennon on breaking record...
"I love Rice Volleyball, and playing with this team has been the best 4.5 years of my life. Being able to break the career kills record makes me feel like I really made an impact in my time here in helping my team find success. I can't wait to keep winning some games and balling with my teammates!"
First Set
The Owls used a 9-0 run in the early stages to break the game open en route to a 25-11victory. Rice hit .600 for the frame with five different Owls registering kills, led by six from Lennon and four apiece from Shore and Maruska. The Owls totaled 19 kills as a team and had just one attack error on 30 attacks with Graham distributing 13 assists.
Second Set
Rice won 25-16 as they held Tech to just eight kills and a .064 hitting percentage while the Owls added 17 more kills. Lennon caught fire with eight kills in the frame on 14 attacks, including the one that clinched history on point No. 22 on an assist from LaBue.
Third Set
The Lady Techsters scored the final four points of the frame to break a 21-21 tie to win 25-21. Adekunle and Danyle Courtley posted four kills apiece for the Owls but Tech hit .360 for the set and took advantage of six attack errors and four service errors by the Owls.
Fourth Set
Rice halted Tech's momentum with a convincing 25-15 match-clinching victory. Lennon came back with six more kills on 13 attacks and Adekunle added five kills as Rice hit .436 as a squad and posted an 86 percent sideout rate.
The Owls return home to Houston for a weekend series with Southern Miss, Oct. 22-23.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
Rice
LATech
Kills
70
38
Errors
16
16
Attempts
150
148
Hitting %
.360
.149
Points
82
50
Assists
65
37
Aces
5
5
Blocks
7
7
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
20
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's VolleyballMB/RS
/ Women's VolleyballVB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
Saturday, December 04
VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
Thursday, December 02