Saturday, August 27
Baton Rouge, LA
3:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
-30,00 CUSA
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LSU
1-2,0-0SEC
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F
Rice
13
25
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21
15
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LSU
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25
12
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Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Volleyball Defeats LSU in Five Sets
8/27/2022 7:04:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Owls win Tiger Classic with 3-0 record
BATON ROUGE, La. – Behind a gritty defensive performance, the Rice Owls volleyball team knocked off the LSU Tigers in five sets (13-25, 25-18, 25-16, 21-25, 15-12) Saturday afternoon to complete a 3-0 season-opening weekend and earn the Tiger Classic tournament title.
After dropping the opening set, Rice (3-0) took the next two games before LSU rallied to force a fifth and deciding frame. However, the Owls bounced back and scored the game's final three points to break a 12-12 to win the match.
The Owls had a big performance at the net with a season-high 14.0 team blocks. LSU outgained Rice in kills (60-54) but the Tigers also committed 29 attack errors and 8 service errors while the Owls notched a season-high 7 aces.
Junior outside hitter Danyle Courtley led the Owls with a career-high 14 kills while fellow junior teammate Sahara Maruska (12 kills) recorded her third-straight match with 10 or more kills. Sophomore right side Lola Foord contributed a career-high 9 kills and was one of six Owls with two or more blocks, adding three rejections.
Fifth-year senior setter Carly Graham did a little of everything in the victory, notching her first double-double of the season with 38 assists and 17 digs. In addition, Graham tied her career-high with 7 kills and established a career-high with 4 blocks.
Fifth-year senior middle blocker Anota Adekunle led all players with 8 blocks, a pair of which were the solo variety, while senior middle blocker Satasha Kostelecky added 6 more blocks.
Junior Nia McCardell totaled 22 digs for the Owls, the second-most in her career.
Postgame Reaction - Head Coach Genny Volpe
"I'm really pleased with not only the win, but the composure we showed today. LSU did a great job defending us early and put a lot of pressure on our hitters to score. It was a great team win, and a gritty performance in set five in particular."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
LSU never trailed in a game in which they won 25-13, hitting .375 with 14 kills and holding the Owls to a .071 hitting percentage. The Tigers were a perfect 13-of-13 on sideouts.
Second Set
The Owls found their footing thanks to the offensive efficiency of Foord, who totaled 6 kills on 13 attacks (.385) in a 25-18 match-tying victory. Gaby Mansfield added a pair of aces while the Owls dug in defensively, totaling 21 digs and holding LSU to a .146 clip.
Third Set
Rice turned up the pressure on defense even more out of the break, totaling 8.0 team blocks in the frame with Adekunle totaling 6 rejections. The Owls cruised to a 25-16 victory as they outhit the Tigers, .333-.000. Six different Owls registered kills in the frame and Graham collected 10 assists.
Fourth Set
LSU managed to force a fifth set by defeating the Owls 25-21, holding Rice to just 8 kills in the game and a .000 hitting clip. The Tigers broke a 21-21 tie by scoring the game's final four points.
Fifth Set
With the game tied 12-12, Rice put the match away with consecutive kills from Courtley and Graham, followed by the team's final block with a joint effort from Kostelecky and Foord to send the Owls home happy.
UP NEXT
Rice will look to keep up their winning ways next weekend when the Owls head to Eugene, Ore. for the Oregon Invitational. The Owls will first face UC Davis on Friday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. (CT) followed by a primetime showdown on Saturday against the No. 19 ranked Oregon Ducks at 8 p.m. (CT).
After dropping the opening set, Rice (3-0) took the next two games before LSU rallied to force a fifth and deciding frame. However, the Owls bounced back and scored the game's final three points to break a 12-12 to win the match.
The Owls had a big performance at the net with a season-high 14.0 team blocks. LSU outgained Rice in kills (60-54) but the Tigers also committed 29 attack errors and 8 service errors while the Owls notched a season-high 7 aces.
Junior outside hitter Danyle Courtley led the Owls with a career-high 14 kills while fellow junior teammate Sahara Maruska (12 kills) recorded her third-straight match with 10 or more kills. Sophomore right side Lola Foord contributed a career-high 9 kills and was one of six Owls with two or more blocks, adding three rejections.
Fifth-year senior setter Carly Graham did a little of everything in the victory, notching her first double-double of the season with 38 assists and 17 digs. In addition, Graham tied her career-high with 7 kills and established a career-high with 4 blocks.
Fifth-year senior middle blocker Anota Adekunle led all players with 8 blocks, a pair of which were the solo variety, while senior middle blocker Satasha Kostelecky added 6 more blocks.
Junior Nia McCardell totaled 22 digs for the Owls, the second-most in her career.
"I'm really pleased with not only the win, but the composure we showed today. LSU did a great job defending us early and put a lot of pressure on our hitters to score. It was a great team win, and a gritty performance in set five in particular."
First Set
LSU never trailed in a game in which they won 25-13, hitting .375 with 14 kills and holding the Owls to a .071 hitting percentage. The Tigers were a perfect 13-of-13 on sideouts.
Second Set
The Owls found their footing thanks to the offensive efficiency of Foord, who totaled 6 kills on 13 attacks (.385) in a 25-18 match-tying victory. Gaby Mansfield added a pair of aces while the Owls dug in defensively, totaling 21 digs and holding LSU to a .146 clip.
Third Set
Rice turned up the pressure on defense even more out of the break, totaling 8.0 team blocks in the frame with Adekunle totaling 6 rejections. The Owls cruised to a 25-16 victory as they outhit the Tigers, .333-.000. Six different Owls registered kills in the frame and Graham collected 10 assists.
Fourth Set
LSU managed to force a fifth set by defeating the Owls 25-21, holding Rice to just 8 kills in the game and a .000 hitting clip. The Tigers broke a 21-21 tie by scoring the game's final four points.
Fifth Set
With the game tied 12-12, Rice put the match away with consecutive kills from Courtley and Graham, followed by the team's final block with a joint effort from Kostelecky and Foord to send the Owls home happy.
Rice will look to keep up their winning ways next weekend when the Owls head to Eugene, Ore. for the Oregon Invitational. The Owls will first face UC Davis on Friday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. (CT) followed by a primetime showdown on Saturday against the No. 19 ranked Oregon Ducks at 8 p.m. (CT).
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
Rice
LSU
Kills
54
60
Errors
24
29
Attempts
175
181
Hitting %
.171
.171
Points
75
75
Assists
51
56
Aces
7
6
Blocks
14
9
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
14
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
12
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
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