Wednesday, September 3
Houston, Texas
6 PM
Rice University
1-2,0-0American
1
vs
3
Texas
3-0,0-0SEC
1
2
3
4
F
Texas
23
25
25
25
3
Rice
25
14
14
16
1
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Rice Drops Tough Match to No. 2 Texas
9/3/2025 9:46:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
HOUSTON — The Rice Volleyball came out strong, taking the first set from No. 2 Texas. But the Longhorns swept the next three sets (25-23, 14-25, 14-25, 16-25), as Rice fell, 3-1, Wednesday night from Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Owls (1-2) were held to just .149 hitting, while the Longhorns (3-0) connected on .351. Senior outside hitter Taylor Preston led the team with 22 kills, hitting .353, while adding eight digs. Senior middle Lademi Ogunlana had seven kills and hit .267.
Sophomore setter Savannah Skopal led the Owls with 23 assists and junior setter Kaia Mateo had 12. Senior defensive specialists Gaby Mansfield and Darby Harris had 16 and 13 digs, respectively.
Postgame Reaction – Head Coach Genny Volpe
"I think we got better today. I'm really proud of how we started the match and how we came out. We were firing on all cylinders. Obviously, we knew that Texas was going to bring a lot of heat from their attackers and blockers. But, overall, I'm proud of the serve and pass game that we had today. I think it really helped us stay in the match for as long as we did. I was a big goal of ours to try to win that part of it. Overall, it's not the result that we wanted, of course, but we definitely got better today. We want those challenges. We want to embrace hard things, and I thought they did a good job of that today."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Texas jumped out a quick 3-0 lead. But the Owls came right back, scoring eight of the next 10 points. After trading points, UT tied the match at nine. But kills by Arissa Smith and Taylor Johnson helped Rice score four straight. After the Longhorns pulled within 13-12, kills by Cindy Tchouangwa and Taylor Preston extended Rice's lead. But Texas tied the match at 18. The teams then split the next eight points. After a Texas attack error, Preston forced set point with a kill. UT pulled to within one, but Preston closed the set with her eighth kill, giving Rice a 25-23 set victory and handing Texas its first set loss of the season. Preston hit .400 for the set, and Ogunlana was three-of-four for a .750 hitting percentage. Rice hit .233 while Texas was held to just .163.
Second Set
Texas opened the second set taking a 7-3 advantage. The teams went back-and-forth over the next five points, but the Longhorns went on a 5-1 run to take a 14-7 lead. A UT service error followed by a kill from Preston pulled the Owls within five. After exchanging points, two Texas errors brought Rice to within 17-13. But the Longhorns closed the set on an 8-1 run, taking the second set, 25-14. Texas hit .424, and Rice was held to .188. Preston had a set-high six kills and hit .545
Third Set
Texas came out strong, opening the set with eight straight points. Kellen Dorotik got the Owls on the board with a kill, but UT scored eight of the next 11 points. After trading points, Texas went on a 5-1 run to take its largest lead of the match at 22-7. Rice began to put a run together, scoring seven of the next eight points to get within 23-14. But Texas scored the final two points, taking the set, 25-14. Texas hit .516 for the set, and Rice hit .147.
Fourth Set
Texas opened the fourth set on a 5-0 run. Kills by Sydnee Peterson and Preston helped Rice score three of the next four points. But UT scored five of the next seven points. Skopal had a kill, and Preston added an ace. However, the Longhorns went on an 8-3 run taking a 19-10 advantage. Kills by Arissa Smith, Preston, and Ogunlana brought it to within 20-13. But Texas score five of the final eight point to take the set and the match, 25-16.
Up Next
Rice begins a five-match road swing this weekend, Sept. 6-7, when it travels to Waco, for the Baylor Classic. The Owls will face Saint Mary's on Saturday and No. 20 Baylor on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled for 2 p.m., and the Baylor match will be streamed at ESPN+.
The Owls (1-2) were held to just .149 hitting, while the Longhorns (3-0) connected on .351. Senior outside hitter Taylor Preston led the team with 22 kills, hitting .353, while adding eight digs. Senior middle Lademi Ogunlana had seven kills and hit .267.
Sophomore setter Savannah Skopal led the Owls with 23 assists and junior setter Kaia Mateo had 12. Senior defensive specialists Gaby Mansfield and Darby Harris had 16 and 13 digs, respectively.
Postgame Reaction – Head Coach Genny Volpe
"I think we got better today. I'm really proud of how we started the match and how we came out. We were firing on all cylinders. Obviously, we knew that Texas was going to bring a lot of heat from their attackers and blockers. But, overall, I'm proud of the serve and pass game that we had today. I think it really helped us stay in the match for as long as we did. I was a big goal of ours to try to win that part of it. Overall, it's not the result that we wanted, of course, but we definitely got better today. We want those challenges. We want to embrace hard things, and I thought they did a good job of that today."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
Texas jumped out a quick 3-0 lead. But the Owls came right back, scoring eight of the next 10 points. After trading points, UT tied the match at nine. But kills by Arissa Smith and Taylor Johnson helped Rice score four straight. After the Longhorns pulled within 13-12, kills by Cindy Tchouangwa and Taylor Preston extended Rice's lead. But Texas tied the match at 18. The teams then split the next eight points. After a Texas attack error, Preston forced set point with a kill. UT pulled to within one, but Preston closed the set with her eighth kill, giving Rice a 25-23 set victory and handing Texas its first set loss of the season. Preston hit .400 for the set, and Ogunlana was three-of-four for a .750 hitting percentage. Rice hit .233 while Texas was held to just .163.
Second Set
Texas opened the second set taking a 7-3 advantage. The teams went back-and-forth over the next five points, but the Longhorns went on a 5-1 run to take a 14-7 lead. A UT service error followed by a kill from Preston pulled the Owls within five. After exchanging points, two Texas errors brought Rice to within 17-13. But the Longhorns closed the set on an 8-1 run, taking the second set, 25-14. Texas hit .424, and Rice was held to .188. Preston had a set-high six kills and hit .545
Third Set
Texas came out strong, opening the set with eight straight points. Kellen Dorotik got the Owls on the board with a kill, but UT scored eight of the next 11 points. After trading points, Texas went on a 5-1 run to take its largest lead of the match at 22-7. Rice began to put a run together, scoring seven of the next eight points to get within 23-14. But Texas scored the final two points, taking the set, 25-14. Texas hit .516 for the set, and Rice hit .147.
Fourth Set
Texas opened the fourth set on a 5-0 run. Kills by Sydnee Peterson and Preston helped Rice score three of the next four points. But UT scored five of the next seven points. Skopal had a kill, and Preston added an ace. However, the Longhorns went on an 8-3 run taking a 19-10 advantage. Kills by Arissa Smith, Preston, and Ogunlana brought it to within 20-13. But Texas score five of the final eight point to take the set and the match, 25-16.
Up Next
Rice begins a five-match road swing this weekend, Sept. 6-7, when it travels to Waco, for the Baylor Classic. The Owls will face Saint Mary's on Saturday and No. 20 Baylor on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled for 2 p.m., and the Baylor match will be streamed at ESPN+.
Team Stats
TX
Rice
Kills
58
45
Errors
11
23
Attempts
134
148
Hitting %
.351
.149
Points
72.0
55.0
Assists
54
41
Aces
6
3
Blocks
8
7
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
22
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
4
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
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/ Women's VolleyballMB
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