Rice University
11-3, 10-0
North Texas
6-9, 2-6
Owls Move to 10-0 in C-USA Action
3/8/2021 3:56:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Rice sweeps North Texas
HOUSTON – The Conference USA West division-leading Rice Owls volleyball team defeated the North Texas Mean Green in straight sets (25-20, 25-20, 25-19) on Monday afternoon, the team's 10th consecutive win overall.
It marks the third consecutive season that Rice (11-3, 10-0) has begun league play with at least a 10-0 record and the Owls are now tied for this season's sixth-longest active win streak in the NCAA.
Rice senior outside hitter Nicole Lennon posted another monster performance on Monday with a match-high 20 kills (.372) and 17 digs, her second-straight 20-plus kill performance and fourth of the season.
Junior middle blocker Anota Adekunle helped provide the 1-2 punch with 13 kills on 27 attacks (.407) while sophomore Ellie Bichelmeyer added nine kills on 23 attacks. Junior setter Carly Graham dished out 43 assists (14.3 per set) while junior Elizabeth LaBue (14 digs) and freshman Nia McCardell (13 digs) held strong defensively on the backline.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1
After 13 ties and three lead changes, the Owls broke through with a 7-2 run late to win the set, 25-20. Lennon led the way with eight kills on 12 attacks, followed by four kills on six attacks by Adekunle. Graham recorded 14 assists in the game and led a Rice offense that hit .528 as a team, committing just one attacking error.
Set 2
The Owls never trailed in the frame and the Rice defense held the Mean Green to just a .103 hitting clip. Bichelmeyer contributed five kills and Izzy Rawlings posted a pair of service aces. North Texas pulled to within 21-19 but the Owls put the game away with a pair of kills from Adekunle.
Set 3
The Lennon (9 kills) and Adekunle (6 kills) combo proved to be too much for North Texas as the duo recorded the 15 kills on 35 attacks while McCardell led the defensive charge with seven digs.
Up Next
The Owls will close out their C-USA portion of the regular season next weekend at UTEP when they face the Miners on Sunday, Mar. 14 (2 p.m. CT) and Monday, Mar. 15 (1 p.m. CT). Both matches are set to be streamed on CUSAtv.
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