Saturday, September 4
Houston, TX
1:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
1-3
3
vs
1
SMU
2-3
1
2
3
4
F
SMU
27
17
22
22
1
Rice
25
25
25
25
3
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Owls Take Down SMU for First Win of Season
9/4/2021 5:03:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Adekunle registers career-high 28 kills
HOUSTON – Behind a career-high 28 kills from junior middle blocker Anota Adekunle, the Rice Owls volleyball team registered their first win of the fall season with a 3-1 victory (25-27, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22) over the SMU Mustangs on Saturday afternoon to conclude the Adidas Invitational I tournament.
Adekunle, from Humble, Texas, surpassed her previous career-high of 23 kills with a monster performance on Saturday, all while hitting a sensational .568 (28-of-44). She also recorded a match-high five blocks to total 30.5 individual points. The 28 kills and .568 hitting percentage were both season-highs by a Conference USA player this season.
Rice (1-3) received a double-double from junior setter Carly Graham, her third of the season, with a C-USA four set season-best 55 assists and 13 digs while also contributing six kills and three blocks. Senior outside hitter Nicole Lennon also added her third double-double of the year with 13 kills and 13 digs.
The Owls outhit SMU (2-3) by a margin of .265-.199 and racked up more kills (68-52), digs (74-66), assists (63-49) and service aces (7-4). Junior Tia Grippo registered a career-high four aces in the victory while freshman Nia McCardell led the Owls with 17 digs, her fourth straight match with 17 or more digs.
Postgame Reaction-Head Coach Genny Volpe
"Today we didn't start well but really battled back in set one only to fall just short. However, once we were able to get Anota going things started to change in our favor. We need to improve our efficiency when we are in trouble and receive at a more consistent rate. Once we clean those things up I know we can execute at a higher level. It was definitely Anota's day to shine. I'm so proud of how hard she worked to get open and be available to score."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
SMU jumped out to a 14-7 lead and eventually held on to win 27-25 but not before the Owls made them work for the final points. Rice chipped away at the deficit and nearly erased a 24-19 Mustangs' advantage, fighting off five consecutive set points to tie the score 24-24. Adekunle's eighth kill of the frame pulled Rice even again at 25-25 but SMU scored the final two points to prevail. Adekunle led all players with 8 kills on 11 attacks in the set while Graham recorded 14 assists on Rice's 16 kills.
Second Set
For a fourth straight match the Owls bounced back from an opening set loss, tying the match with a near start-to-finish 25-17 victory. Rice outhit SMU, .310-.132, and Graham was spectacular as the offense's maestro with a staggering 17 assists on the team's 20 kills and the Owls held a staggering 82 percent sideout rate. Adekunle added six more kills in the frame while Lennon contributed five kills.
Third Set
The Owls rode that momentum out of the break en route to a 25-22 victory as Adekunle (5 kills) and Graham (4 kills) continued to lead the Rice attack. SMU hit just .125 in the set with nine kills and the Owls never trailed after taking a 14-13 lead.
Fourth Set
Rice never trailed in the final game, winning 25-22 to secure their first victory of the season. The Owls rode the hot right hand of Adekunle as she added nine more kills on 11 attacks (.727), including the 25th and final point of the afternoon. Graham contributed 13 more assists in the frame while Lennon held down the defense with seven digs.
UP NEXT
The Owls continue their five match homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 7 when they host the Houston Baptist Huskies at 6 p.m. on CUSAtv.
Adekunle, from Humble, Texas, surpassed her previous career-high of 23 kills with a monster performance on Saturday, all while hitting a sensational .568 (28-of-44). She also recorded a match-high five blocks to total 30.5 individual points. The 28 kills and .568 hitting percentage were both season-highs by a Conference USA player this season.
Rice (1-3) received a double-double from junior setter Carly Graham, her third of the season, with a C-USA four set season-best 55 assists and 13 digs while also contributing six kills and three blocks. Senior outside hitter Nicole Lennon also added her third double-double of the year with 13 kills and 13 digs.
The Owls outhit SMU (2-3) by a margin of .265-.199 and racked up more kills (68-52), digs (74-66), assists (63-49) and service aces (7-4). Junior Tia Grippo registered a career-high four aces in the victory while freshman Nia McCardell led the Owls with 17 digs, her fourth straight match with 17 or more digs.
"Today we didn't start well but really battled back in set one only to fall just short. However, once we were able to get Anota going things started to change in our favor. We need to improve our efficiency when we are in trouble and receive at a more consistent rate. Once we clean those things up I know we can execute at a higher level. It was definitely Anota's day to shine. I'm so proud of how hard she worked to get open and be available to score."
First Set
SMU jumped out to a 14-7 lead and eventually held on to win 27-25 but not before the Owls made them work for the final points. Rice chipped away at the deficit and nearly erased a 24-19 Mustangs' advantage, fighting off five consecutive set points to tie the score 24-24. Adekunle's eighth kill of the frame pulled Rice even again at 25-25 but SMU scored the final two points to prevail. Adekunle led all players with 8 kills on 11 attacks in the set while Graham recorded 14 assists on Rice's 16 kills.
Second Set
For a fourth straight match the Owls bounced back from an opening set loss, tying the match with a near start-to-finish 25-17 victory. Rice outhit SMU, .310-.132, and Graham was spectacular as the offense's maestro with a staggering 17 assists on the team's 20 kills and the Owls held a staggering 82 percent sideout rate. Adekunle added six more kills in the frame while Lennon contributed five kills.
Third Set
The Owls rode that momentum out of the break en route to a 25-22 victory as Adekunle (5 kills) and Graham (4 kills) continued to lead the Rice attack. SMU hit just .125 in the set with nine kills and the Owls never trailed after taking a 14-13 lead.
Fourth Set
Rice never trailed in the final game, winning 25-22 to secure their first victory of the season. The Owls rode the hot right hand of Adekunle as she added nine more kills on 11 attacks (.727), including the 25th and final point of the afternoon. Graham contributed 13 more assists in the frame while Lennon held down the defense with seven digs.
UP NEXT
The Owls continue their five match homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 7 when they host the Houston Baptist Huskies at 6 p.m. on CUSAtv.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
SMU
RICE
Kills
52
68
Errors
21
24
Attempts
156
166
Hitting %
.199
.265
Points
64.5
81.0
Assists
49
63
Aces
4
7
Blocks
8.5
6.0
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
28
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
13
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
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