Thursday, September 16
Waco, TX
5:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
at
No. 12 Baylor
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Volleyball to Face No. 12 Bears, Cowgirls at Baylor Classic
9/15/2021 11:19:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Match vs. Baylor streamed on ESPN+ Thursday at 5 p.m.
Match 8 | at No. 12 Baylor Bears | Thursday, Sept. 16, 5 p.m. (CT)
Location: Waco, Texas (Ferrell Center)
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series: Rice leads, 23-19 (Last Meeting: Rice lost (3-2), 3/19/21)
Match 9 | vs. McNeese Cowgirls | Friday, Sept. 17, 5 p.m.
Location: Waco, Texas (Ferrell Center)
Video Stream: N/A
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series: Rice leads, 9-1 (Last Meeting: Rice won (3-0), 9/15/18)
SETTING THE SCENE
After starting the season 0-3, the Owls have reeled off four consecutive wins, three of which have come on sweeps. During this stretch the Owls have won 12 consecutive sets and have posted consecutive matches hitting .320+. This week (Thursday/Friday) the Owls travel to Waco to partake in the Baylor Classic, starting against the No. 12 Baylor Bears on Thursday at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.
In Baylor, Rice will be facing their third ranked opponent of the season in a rematch from the spring when the then No. 6 Bears eked out a 3-2 victory over the Owls at Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Bears (3-3) have played a challenging schedule but are coming off of a two-match sweep at No. 7 Florida last weekend. Yossiana Pressley leads Baylor with 110 kills (4.40 per set) and is the active NCAA Division I leader in career kills (2,052).
Rice will then face the McNeese Cowgirls (5-3) on Friday, also at 5 p.m. The Cowgirls have had their last three matches either canceled or postponed and will be back in action for the first time since Sept. 7. McNeese was picked to finish fifth in the Southland Conference preseason poll.
NOTES
Location: Waco, Texas (Ferrell Center)
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series: Rice leads, 23-19 (Last Meeting: Rice lost (3-2), 3/19/21)
Match 9 | vs. McNeese Cowgirls | Friday, Sept. 17, 5 p.m.
Location: Waco, Texas (Ferrell Center)
Video Stream: N/A
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series: Rice leads, 9-1 (Last Meeting: Rice won (3-0), 9/15/18)
SETTING THE SCENE
After starting the season 0-3, the Owls have reeled off four consecutive wins, three of which have come on sweeps. During this stretch the Owls have won 12 consecutive sets and have posted consecutive matches hitting .320+. This week (Thursday/Friday) the Owls travel to Waco to partake in the Baylor Classic, starting against the No. 12 Baylor Bears on Thursday at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.
In Baylor, Rice will be facing their third ranked opponent of the season in a rematch from the spring when the then No. 6 Bears eked out a 3-2 victory over the Owls at Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Bears (3-3) have played a challenging schedule but are coming off of a two-match sweep at No. 7 Florida last weekend. Yossiana Pressley leads Baylor with 110 kills (4.40 per set) and is the active NCAA Division I leader in career kills (2,052).
Rice will then face the McNeese Cowgirls (5-3) on Friday, also at 5 p.m. The Cowgirls have had their last three matches either canceled or postponed and will be back in action for the first time since Sept. 7. McNeese was picked to finish fifth in the Southland Conference preseason poll.
NOTES
- Junior setter Carly Graham was awarded the Conference USA Setter of the Week on Monday after helping guide the Owls to a 3-0 record last week. Graham was sensational orchestrating a Rice offense that was firing on all cylinders, hitting .326 for the week over nine sets. The Spring, Texas native totaled 111 assists (12.3 per set) while also totaling 23 digs (2.56 per set) and nine kills. Graham ranks 15th in the NCAA this season in assists per set (11.12) and is a big reason why the Owls rank fourth in the country in kills per set (14.65).
- Senior outside hitter Nicole Lennon is coming off a big week in which she moved into No. 2 in Rice history in career kills (1,857) and now trails just Rebecca Pazo (1,969 kills) for No. 1. This season, Lennon ranks 13th in the NCAA in kills per set (4.68) and is 3rd in attacks per set (13.32). She trails only Baylor's Pressley (2,052) in active career kills.
- The Owls are receiving 21 votes in the latest AVCA Top-25 Poll released on Sept. 13. Rice entered the season ranked No. 23, the first time in program history they were ranked to begin a season. The Owls finished the spring ranked No. 23 in the final AVCA Poll, which was also the first time Rice concluded a season ranked in the Top-25.
- Rice has played a daunting non-conference schedule this fall and are slated to face four teams currently ranked in the AVCA Preseason Top-15: current No. 4 Pittsburgh (lost 3-2), current No. 13 Oregon (lost 3-1), No. 12 Baylor, and No. 1 Texas next week at Tudor Fieldhouse. In addition the Owls have already faced South Carolina (lost 3-1), who spent time in the Top-25 and are currently receiving votes.
-RiceOwls.com-
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