Thursday, December 1
Waco, TX
4:30 p.m.
Rice University
-273,131 CUSA
3
vs
1
Colorado
20-11,12-8Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
Colorado
24
26
16
14
1
Rice
26
24
25
25
3
No. 20 Volleyball Defeats Colorado, 3-1, to Advance to the NCAA Tournament Second Round B
12/1/2022 8:29:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Waco, Texas – The No. 20 ranked and fifth-seeded Rice Owls volleyball team played a tough two sets before pulling away against Colorado, 3-1 (26-24, 24-26, 25-16, 25-14), to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Thursday night from the Ferrell Center.
Rice will face No. 17 Baylor tomorrow night at 7 p.m. with a chance to advance to its first Sweet Sixteen.
Rice (27-3) hit .247 while holding Colorado (20-11) to .114. Junior Sahara Maruska set a career-high with 22 kills (.309), which is also the most by an Owl in an NCAA Tournament match. Senior Ellie Bichelmeyer had a .333 (17-of-33) hitting percentage.
Fifth year setter Carly Graham led all players with 49 assists, her 12th match this year with at least 40 assists as she became the fourth player in school history with 4,000 career assists. She also had 17 digs for her 11th double-double of the year.
Freshman Darby Harris had a career-high 22 digs and Nia McCardell had 21, her 10th match of the year with 20 digs. Freshman Gaby Mansfield added 16 digs.
Postgame Reaction – Head Coach, Genny Volpe
"I'm just really proud of this team. Colorado is a tough opponent. We had a great season, and we knew that they were going to present some challenges. And I am really proud of how the team stepped up and fought through some adversity, especially in sets one and two. I'm just really proud of how they found way to execute when we needed to execute and I am happy with the win."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The first set was a battle throughout as neither team led by more than one point for the majority of the set. With the match tied at 16, the Owls got a kill from Sahara Maruska and a block from Anota Adekunle to take a two-point advantage. Colorado scored five of the next seven points, taking a 22-21 lead. The teams went back-and-forth. But with the Buffaloes serving for set point at 24-23, Rice notched the final three points to earn a 26-24 victory. Bichelmeyer led all players with seven kills as Rice hit .244 for the set and held Colorado to just .104.
Second Set
Rice jumped out to a 5-2 lead before Colorado scored seven straight points to take a 9-5 advantage. Rice battled back, scoring five of the next six points, tying the match at 10. CU went on an 8-3 run, taking its largest lead of the set at 18-13. The Owls again rallied, scoring nine of the next 12 points to grab a 22-21 lead. But with the match tied at 24, Colorado notched the final two points to earn a 26-24 win. Maruska and Danyle Courtley led the Owls with five kills
Third Set
Colorado opened a 6-4 lead before Rice scored three straight to take the lead. The teams went back-and-forth, but with the Buffaloes leading 15-14, Rice came alive, scoring 10 straight points. before closing out the set to points lead, 25-16. Maruska led all players with eight kills, hitting .389 for the set.
Fourth Set
The set opened with the teams trading points. With it tied at seven, Rice went on a 10-1 run, taking a 17-8 lead. Colorado scored four of the next five points to pull within six. But Rice closed the set on a 7-2 run to win the set and the match, 25-14. Maruska had five kills (.364) and Satasha Kostelecky hit .500 (3-of-6) in the set.
UP NEXT
The Owls will face No. 17 Baylor tomorrow night, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.
-RiceOwls.com-
Rice will face No. 17 Baylor tomorrow night at 7 p.m. with a chance to advance to its first Sweet Sixteen.
Rice (27-3) hit .247 while holding Colorado (20-11) to .114. Junior Sahara Maruska set a career-high with 22 kills (.309), which is also the most by an Owl in an NCAA Tournament match. Senior Ellie Bichelmeyer had a .333 (17-of-33) hitting percentage.
Fifth year setter Carly Graham led all players with 49 assists, her 12th match this year with at least 40 assists as she became the fourth player in school history with 4,000 career assists. She also had 17 digs for her 11th double-double of the year.
Freshman Darby Harris had a career-high 22 digs and Nia McCardell had 21, her 10th match of the year with 20 digs. Freshman Gaby Mansfield added 16 digs.
Postgame Reaction – Head Coach, Genny Volpe
"I'm just really proud of this team. Colorado is a tough opponent. We had a great season, and we knew that they were going to present some challenges. And I am really proud of how the team stepped up and fought through some adversity, especially in sets one and two. I'm just really proud of how they found way to execute when we needed to execute and I am happy with the win."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The first set was a battle throughout as neither team led by more than one point for the majority of the set. With the match tied at 16, the Owls got a kill from Sahara Maruska and a block from Anota Adekunle to take a two-point advantage. Colorado scored five of the next seven points, taking a 22-21 lead. The teams went back-and-forth. But with the Buffaloes serving for set point at 24-23, Rice notched the final three points to earn a 26-24 victory. Bichelmeyer led all players with seven kills as Rice hit .244 for the set and held Colorado to just .104.
Second Set
Rice jumped out to a 5-2 lead before Colorado scored seven straight points to take a 9-5 advantage. Rice battled back, scoring five of the next six points, tying the match at 10. CU went on an 8-3 run, taking its largest lead of the set at 18-13. The Owls again rallied, scoring nine of the next 12 points to grab a 22-21 lead. But with the match tied at 24, Colorado notched the final two points to earn a 26-24 win. Maruska and Danyle Courtley led the Owls with five kills
Third Set
Colorado opened a 6-4 lead before Rice scored three straight to take the lead. The teams went back-and-forth, but with the Buffaloes leading 15-14, Rice came alive, scoring 10 straight points. before closing out the set to points lead, 25-16. Maruska led all players with eight kills, hitting .389 for the set.
Fourth Set
The set opened with the teams trading points. With it tied at seven, Rice went on a 10-1 run, taking a 17-8 lead. Colorado scored four of the next five points to pull within six. But Rice closed the set on a 7-2 run to win the set and the match, 25-14. Maruska had five kills (.364) and Satasha Kostelecky hit .500 (3-of-6) in the set.
UP NEXT
The Owls will face No. 17 Baylor tomorrow night, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
CU
Rice
Kills
45
65
Errors
25
22
Attempts
175
174
Hitting %
.114
.247
Points
57
72
Assists
42
60
Aces
3
3
Blocks
9
4
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
22
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
17
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
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