Friday, September 23
Houston, TX
6:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
-111,10 CUSA
3
vs
0
UTSA
-58,01 CUSA
1
2
3
F
UTSA
19
15
12
0
Rice
25
25
25
3
No. 23 Owls Sweep Roadrunners in C-USA Opener
9/23/2022 8:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Rice pushes winning streak to seven straight
HOUSTON – The No. 23 Rice Owls volleyball team made quick work of the UTSA Roadrunners in the Conference USA opener Friday evening at Tudor Fieldhouse, sweeping (25-19, 25-15, 25-12) their way to their seventh consecutive victory.
Rice (11-1, 1-0) notched a season-high 11 service aces and held the Roadrunners (5-8, 0-1) to only 21 kills on .059 hitting for their 27th consecutive C-USA regular season victory dating back to 2019.
Junior outside hitter Danyle Courtley led all players with 10 kills while hitting .429 while fellow junior outside hitter Sahara Maruska tallied nine kills. Maruska also matched fifth-year setter Carly Graham for a team-high three aces while Courtley contributed a pair. Junior libero Nia McCardell led all players with 16 digs.
Rice never trailed in a match that lasted only 1:16 as they completed their seventh sweep of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The Owls raced out to a 12-3 advantage and held a lead as big as 20-6 before UTSA made things interesting with a 12-3 run of their own to pull to within 23-18. Rice eventually won 25-19 behind a UTSA service error and a kill by Maruska, who totaled four kills in the game.
Second Set
Rice's offense got rolling and the Owls cruised to a 25-15 victory to take a 2-0 match lead. Courtley was unstoppable with eight kills on 12 attacks (.667) as Rice hit .438 as a team. The Owls totaled four aces in the set, two of which off the right hand of Maruska.
Third Set
The Owls allowed just three kills to the Roadrunners in a 25-12 match-clinching win. Seven different Owls registered kills while UTSA hit -.160 and committed seven attack errors.
UP NEXT
The Owls hit the road for the first time since Sept. 3 as they travel to Ruston, La. to face the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters. First serve on CUSAtv is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Rice (11-1, 1-0) notched a season-high 11 service aces and held the Roadrunners (5-8, 0-1) to only 21 kills on .059 hitting for their 27th consecutive C-USA regular season victory dating back to 2019.
Junior outside hitter Danyle Courtley led all players with 10 kills while hitting .429 while fellow junior outside hitter Sahara Maruska tallied nine kills. Maruska also matched fifth-year setter Carly Graham for a team-high three aces while Courtley contributed a pair. Junior libero Nia McCardell led all players with 16 digs.
Rice never trailed in a match that lasted only 1:16 as they completed their seventh sweep of the season.
First Set
The Owls raced out to a 12-3 advantage and held a lead as big as 20-6 before UTSA made things interesting with a 12-3 run of their own to pull to within 23-18. Rice eventually won 25-19 behind a UTSA service error and a kill by Maruska, who totaled four kills in the game.
Second Set
Rice's offense got rolling and the Owls cruised to a 25-15 victory to take a 2-0 match lead. Courtley was unstoppable with eight kills on 12 attacks (.667) as Rice hit .438 as a team. The Owls totaled four aces in the set, two of which off the right hand of Maruska.
Third Set
The Owls allowed just three kills to the Roadrunners in a 25-12 match-clinching win. Seven different Owls registered kills while UTSA hit -.160 and committed seven attack errors.
The Owls hit the road for the first time since Sept. 3 as they travel to Ruston, La. to face the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters. First serve on CUSAtv is scheduled for 1 p.m.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
UTSA
Rice
Kills
21
40
Errors
16
17
Attempts
85
92
Hitting %
.059
.250
Points
27
54
Assists
20
36
Aces
3
10
Blocks
3
4
Game Leaders
Kills
10
Aces
2
Blocks
0
Kills
9
Aces
3
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
4
Aces
3
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
OH/RS
/ Women's VolleyballS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
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