Friday, November 8
Houston, Texas
6 PM
Rice University
16-6,11-2AAC
3
vs
2
Wichita State
14-11,9-4AAC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Wichita St.
25
22
22
25
14
2
Rice
20
25
25
22
16
3
Hill Sets New Career-High in Kills as Volleyball Outlasts Wichita State, 3-2
11/8/2024 10:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
HOUSTON - Rice (16-6, 11-2 AAC) needed all five sets to take down Wichita State (14-11, 9-4 AAC), but the Owls added another key victory in conference play on its path to a regular season title by taking down the Shockers, 3-2, in Tudor Fieldhouse on Friday night.
"This was a gritty win tonight against a really good Wichita State team," head coach Genny Volpe said. "It was truly a game of momentum on both sides and the match could've gone either way, but I'm so proud of how Sam really took over and had a phenomenal match. Kat also came alive when we really needed her. Sav and Nia were instrumental in this win as well. Overall we were tested on multiple levels and I'm really proud of how the team showed composure and confidence when pushed to the limit.
Samarah Hill headlined the offense with the most kills of either team, posting 29. That sets a new career-high for her, with her previous being set in 2019 as a freshman at LSU (20). Katrina Jensen also posted 20 kills on the night with a kill percentage of .455, the highest of any Owl with 10+ attempts.
Savannah Skopal tied her career-high in assists tonight with 61, accounting for the lion's share of Rice's assists. Nia McCardell posted four, with Hill tallying two and Thea Carter posting one.
McCardell led the charge on digs for the night, posting a team-high 24. Hill had the next highest with 16, posting her fourth double-double of the season, tying the most in one season in her career (LSU, 2019). Skopal posted 12 and Darby Harris tallying 10 to account for all Owls with double-digit assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE (WSU 25-20)
Rice fell behind early to the Shockers by as much as three points at 4-1, and did not meet the Shockers on the board again until 6-6. Rice would catch up one more time at 8-8 and keep it close, but a 4-0 run by WSU at 11-10 would put the Shockers up five at the media timeout. Rice did cut the lead to one at 17-16, but another four point run put Wichita State just out of reach for the Owls at 21-16. The five-point margin held true to the end of the set, which the Shockers took 25-20.
SET TWO (RICE 25-22)
Rice came out much more aggressive, taking a 4-0 lead before Wichita State was able to respond, answering with a 3-0 run to cut the lead. Rice held the league until one of the 11 ties in the second set occurred at 7-7, but two scores for the Owls put the team up 9-7. The two traded blows for a bit before Wichita State took its first lead of the set at 13-12, but Rice took the lead back at 14-13. The two traded the lead a few times, but Rice went on a 3-0 run after WSU took a 19-18 lead to take control of the set. Wichita State could only cut it to one from them, but Rice ended up winning the set and tying the match, 25-22.
SET THREE (RICE 25-22)
The most competitive set of the night saw a total of 16 tie scores and six lead changes, with the first tie coming within the first two points of the set. Neither team built a lead larger than one point until Rice took at 11-9 lead, stretching to it 12-9 before WSU responded with a kill. WSU would use a small run to take a 14-13 lead, and hold onto the lead and weathered ties until Rice took it back late in the set at 21-20. Rice then outscored WSU 4-2 to close the set with another 25-22 victory and a 2-1 lead in the match.
SET FOUR (WSU 25-22)
Wichita State came out hot, taking a 6-2 lead, and watched the lead grow to as much as 12-5 over the Owls. Rice made a dent in the lead with a four-point run, but the Shockers continued to pull away, forcing a Rice timeout with a 17-12 lead. After the Shockers took a six-point lead at 18-12, Rice scored six-straight points to tie the match up, four of which off of errors by WSU. However, late ties at 18-18 and 19-19 weren't enough to help the Owls, as Wichita State outscored Rice 6-3 in the waning moments of set four to tie the match and send it to a deciding fifth set.
SET FIVE (RICE 16-14)
In just the second five-set game in Tudor Fieldhouse this season, Rice threw the first punch wit an early Hill kill. WSU answered in kind, and the two traded a couple more points until Rice began to pull away at 4-2, then at 6-3. Rice took an 8-6 lead at the halfway point of the set, but the Shockers would not go quietly, closing the gap at 10-9 to force a Rice timeout. From there, Rice was outscored 4-2, forcing another timeout when WSU took a very late 13-12 lead. Two kills from Savannah Skopal put the Owls one point away from victory, but a WSU kill tied the match at 14-14, guaranteeing the need for extra points. Rice did not need too much extra, though, as two final kills from Jensen and Lola Foord sealed the match for Rice and secured the season sweep over the Shockers.
UP NEXT
Rice remains at home as it hosts UAB on Sunday afternoon. First serve is set for 1 p.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse.
"This was a gritty win tonight against a really good Wichita State team," head coach Genny Volpe said. "It was truly a game of momentum on both sides and the match could've gone either way, but I'm so proud of how Sam really took over and had a phenomenal match. Kat also came alive when we really needed her. Sav and Nia were instrumental in this win as well. Overall we were tested on multiple levels and I'm really proud of how the team showed composure and confidence when pushed to the limit.
Samarah Hill headlined the offense with the most kills of either team, posting 29. That sets a new career-high for her, with her previous being set in 2019 as a freshman at LSU (20). Katrina Jensen also posted 20 kills on the night with a kill percentage of .455, the highest of any Owl with 10+ attempts.
Savannah Skopal tied her career-high in assists tonight with 61, accounting for the lion's share of Rice's assists. Nia McCardell posted four, with Hill tallying two and Thea Carter posting one.
McCardell led the charge on digs for the night, posting a team-high 24. Hill had the next highest with 16, posting her fourth double-double of the season, tying the most in one season in her career (LSU, 2019). Skopal posted 12 and Darby Harris tallying 10 to account for all Owls with double-digit assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE (WSU 25-20)
Rice fell behind early to the Shockers by as much as three points at 4-1, and did not meet the Shockers on the board again until 6-6. Rice would catch up one more time at 8-8 and keep it close, but a 4-0 run by WSU at 11-10 would put the Shockers up five at the media timeout. Rice did cut the lead to one at 17-16, but another four point run put Wichita State just out of reach for the Owls at 21-16. The five-point margin held true to the end of the set, which the Shockers took 25-20.
SET TWO (RICE 25-22)
Rice came out much more aggressive, taking a 4-0 lead before Wichita State was able to respond, answering with a 3-0 run to cut the lead. Rice held the league until one of the 11 ties in the second set occurred at 7-7, but two scores for the Owls put the team up 9-7. The two traded blows for a bit before Wichita State took its first lead of the set at 13-12, but Rice took the lead back at 14-13. The two traded the lead a few times, but Rice went on a 3-0 run after WSU took a 19-18 lead to take control of the set. Wichita State could only cut it to one from them, but Rice ended up winning the set and tying the match, 25-22.
SET THREE (RICE 25-22)
The most competitive set of the night saw a total of 16 tie scores and six lead changes, with the first tie coming within the first two points of the set. Neither team built a lead larger than one point until Rice took at 11-9 lead, stretching to it 12-9 before WSU responded with a kill. WSU would use a small run to take a 14-13 lead, and hold onto the lead and weathered ties until Rice took it back late in the set at 21-20. Rice then outscored WSU 4-2 to close the set with another 25-22 victory and a 2-1 lead in the match.
SET FOUR (WSU 25-22)
Wichita State came out hot, taking a 6-2 lead, and watched the lead grow to as much as 12-5 over the Owls. Rice made a dent in the lead with a four-point run, but the Shockers continued to pull away, forcing a Rice timeout with a 17-12 lead. After the Shockers took a six-point lead at 18-12, Rice scored six-straight points to tie the match up, four of which off of errors by WSU. However, late ties at 18-18 and 19-19 weren't enough to help the Owls, as Wichita State outscored Rice 6-3 in the waning moments of set four to tie the match and send it to a deciding fifth set.
SET FIVE (RICE 16-14)
In just the second five-set game in Tudor Fieldhouse this season, Rice threw the first punch wit an early Hill kill. WSU answered in kind, and the two traded a couple more points until Rice began to pull away at 4-2, then at 6-3. Rice took an 8-6 lead at the halfway point of the set, but the Shockers would not go quietly, closing the gap at 10-9 to force a Rice timeout. From there, Rice was outscored 4-2, forcing another timeout when WSU took a very late 13-12 lead. Two kills from Savannah Skopal put the Owls one point away from victory, but a WSU kill tied the match at 14-14, guaranteeing the need for extra points. Rice did not need too much extra, though, as two final kills from Jensen and Lola Foord sealed the match for Rice and secured the season sweep over the Shockers.
UP NEXT
Rice remains at home as it hosts UAB on Sunday afternoon. First serve is set for 1 p.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse.
Team Stats
WSU
Rice
Kills
66
74
Errors
26
26
Attempts
187
188
Hitting %
.214
.255
Points
80.0
82.0
Assists
60
68
Aces
4
2
Blocks
10
6
Game Leaders
Kills
29
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
20
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
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