Friday, April 2
Hattiesburg, MS
2:30 P.M. CT
Rice University
-164,120 CUSA
3
vs
0
Charlotte (Semifinals)
-135,93 CUSA
1
2
3
F
Charlotte
17
13
22
0
Rice
25
25
25
3
Photo by: CUSA
Owls Sweep Charlotte to Earn Spot in C-USA Championship
4/2/2021 4:46:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
No. 24 Rice to face No. 19 WKU in title game
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The No. 24 ranked Rice Owls volleyball team advanced to the Conference USA Championship match for a third consecutive season by sweeping (25-17, 25-13, 25-22) the Charlotte 49ers Friday afternoon in the C-USA semifinals.
Rice (16-4) moves on to the championship match for the fifth time in the last seven years and will face No. 19 WKU (20-0) in the title game for a second straight year and fourth overall.
The Owls outhit Charlotte .400-.136 (season-low) just one day after recording a .424 hitting clip against Middle Tennessee. Rice spread the wealth offensively with three players recording 10 or more kills and three players notching double-doubles.
Senior outside hitter Nicole Lennon (13 kills/10 digs), freshman Sahara Maruska (season-high 13 kills/12 digs) and junior Anota Adekunle (10 kills/.562) led the way offensively while junior setter Carly Graham had a sensational match with 43 assists and 12 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
Junior libero Elizabeth LaBue also contributed double-figure digs with 10 while the Owls racked up 10.0 team blocks, led by Lennon's four rejections. The Owls held the C-USA Freshman of the Year Emani Foster to just seven kills on 28 attacks and a .036 hitting percentage.
POSTGAME REACTION
Rice Head Coach Genny Volpe
"I'm very proud of our team today. We had a tough opponent in Charlotte and our defense did the job they needed to do in order to hold their top attacker to lower points. We also hit for a very high clip against their strong block. We are very much looking forward to the WKU matchup in the championship, which should prove to be a great one."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1
The Owls hit .548 a team in the opening frame behind a team-high five kills from Lennon and four kills by Bichelmeyer. Rice never trailed in the game as Graham had the offensive firing on all cylinders with 14 assists to go along with three kills. Adekunle and Maruska also chipped in three kills apiece.
Set 2
Rice closed on a 19-6 run to win 25-13 as the Owls outhit the 49ers, .400 to -.038 in the game. The Owls totaled 16 kills to just six from the 49ers. Graham dished out 15 more assists as Adekunle, Maruska and Lennon totaled four more kills apiece.
Set 3
Rice built a 21-14 advantage before the 49ers made a late run to pull to within 23-22. However, Lennon notched a solo block and the 49ers committed an attack error to clinch a 25-22 victory. Maruska posted six more kills in the game while Graham distributed 14 assists and totaled seven digs.
Up Next
The Owls and Hilltoppers will meet for the C-USA Championship on Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN+ with an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
Rice (16-4) moves on to the championship match for the fifth time in the last seven years and will face No. 19 WKU (20-0) in the title game for a second straight year and fourth overall.
The Owls outhit Charlotte .400-.136 (season-low) just one day after recording a .424 hitting clip against Middle Tennessee. Rice spread the wealth offensively with three players recording 10 or more kills and three players notching double-doubles.
Senior outside hitter Nicole Lennon (13 kills/10 digs), freshman Sahara Maruska (season-high 13 kills/12 digs) and junior Anota Adekunle (10 kills/.562) led the way offensively while junior setter Carly Graham had a sensational match with 43 assists and 12 digs for her 10th double-double of the season.
Junior libero Elizabeth LaBue also contributed double-figure digs with 10 while the Owls racked up 10.0 team blocks, led by Lennon's four rejections. The Owls held the C-USA Freshman of the Year Emani Foster to just seven kills on 28 attacks and a .036 hitting percentage.
Rice Head Coach Genny Volpe
"I'm very proud of our team today. We had a tough opponent in Charlotte and our defense did the job they needed to do in order to hold their top attacker to lower points. We also hit for a very high clip against their strong block. We are very much looking forward to the WKU matchup in the championship, which should prove to be a great one."
Set 1
The Owls hit .548 a team in the opening frame behind a team-high five kills from Lennon and four kills by Bichelmeyer. Rice never trailed in the game as Graham had the offensive firing on all cylinders with 14 assists to go along with three kills. Adekunle and Maruska also chipped in three kills apiece.
Set 2
Rice closed on a 19-6 run to win 25-13 as the Owls outhit the 49ers, .400 to -.038 in the game. The Owls totaled 16 kills to just six from the 49ers. Graham dished out 15 more assists as Adekunle, Maruska and Lennon totaled four more kills apiece.
Set 3
Rice built a 21-14 advantage before the 49ers made a late run to pull to within 23-22. However, Lennon notched a solo block and the 49ers committed an attack error to clinch a 25-22 victory. Maruska posted six more kills in the game while Graham distributed 14 assists and totaled seven digs.
The Owls and Hilltoppers will meet for the C-USA Championship on Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN+ with an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
Charl
Rice
Kills
30
50
Errors
16
10
Attempts
103
100
Hitting %
.136
.400
Points
36
64
Assists
29
48
Aces
4
4
Blocks
2
10
Game Leaders
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
10
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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