Saturday, November 19
Bowling Green, KY
2:30 p.m.
Rice University
-253,131 CUSA
3
vs
0
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UTEP
-1712,104 CUSA
1
2
3
F
UTEP
18
12
23
0
Rice
25
25
25
3
Owls Advance to Fifth Consecutive C-USA Tournament Final
11/19/2022 5:38:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
No. 22 Owls face No. 20 WKU at 1 p.m. on Sunday
BOWLING GREEN, KY. The 22nd ranked Rice volleyball team reached its fifth consecutive Conference USA tournament championship game after sweeping UTEP Diddle Arena Saturday afternoon. The Owls will face No. 20 WKU at 1 p.m. on Sunday, the fourth consecutive year the schools have met to decide the conference postseason champion.
Rice hit.447 while holding UTEP to .221. on the way to a 25-18, 25-12, 25-23 victory on Saturday.
Anota Adekunle hit better than .500 for the 12th game this season, (.667). Junior Sahara Maruska hit .429 (13-for-28) and senior Ellie Bichelmeyer hit .500 (9-for-14).
C-USA Setter of the Year Carly Graham had 37 assists, and C-USA Libero of the Year Nia McCardell had a game-high nine digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST SET
Thanks to four aces, UTEP jumped out to a 6-3 lead, prompting Rice coach Genny Volpe to call an early timeout. Three straight kills by Adekunle started a 7-0 run by Rice, giving the Owls' a 13-10 lead. The Miners continued to keep the score close but could never retake the lead.. An ace by Maruska took the Owls to set point, and a kill by Adekunle ended it 25-18. Adekunle hit a perfect 5-for-5 as the Owls hit an efficient .467.
SECOND SET
After opening the set tied 3-3, a pair of kills by Maruska sparked Rice to an 8-3 lead and the Owls never looked back and a kill by Lola Foord ended the set 25-12. Adekunle was a perfect 6-for-6, Maruska hit 4-for-7, and UTEP was held to hitting .200.
THIRD SET
UTEP would not go quietly, surging to a 15-12 lead and then tied it 22-22 before the Owls scored the final three points to earn their advancement to the championship match. Maruska contributed four kills while Courtley and Adekunle had three each.
Rice hit.447 while holding UTEP to .221. on the way to a 25-18, 25-12, 25-23 victory on Saturday.
Anota Adekunle hit better than .500 for the 12th game this season, (.667). Junior Sahara Maruska hit .429 (13-for-28) and senior Ellie Bichelmeyer hit .500 (9-for-14).
C-USA Setter of the Year Carly Graham had 37 assists, and C-USA Libero of the Year Nia McCardell had a game-high nine digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST SET
Thanks to four aces, UTEP jumped out to a 6-3 lead, prompting Rice coach Genny Volpe to call an early timeout. Three straight kills by Adekunle started a 7-0 run by Rice, giving the Owls' a 13-10 lead. The Miners continued to keep the score close but could never retake the lead.. An ace by Maruska took the Owls to set point, and a kill by Adekunle ended it 25-18. Adekunle hit a perfect 5-for-5 as the Owls hit an efficient .467.
SECOND SET
After opening the set tied 3-3, a pair of kills by Maruska sparked Rice to an 8-3 lead and the Owls never looked back and a kill by Lola Foord ended the set 25-12. Adekunle was a perfect 6-for-6, Maruska hit 4-for-7, and UTEP was held to hitting .200.
THIRD SET
UTEP would not go quietly, surging to a 15-12 lead and then tied it 22-22 before the Owls scored the final three points to earn their advancement to the championship match. Maruska contributed four kills while Courtley and Adekunle had three each.
Team Stats
UTEP
Rice
Kills
31
49
Errors
12
7
Attempts
86
94
Hitting %
.221
.447
Points
39
56
Assists
30
48
Aces
6
4
Blocks
2
3
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
13
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
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