Volleyball gains first win at home

By Julie Doar     9/11/13 7:00pm

The Rice Owls volleyball team opened up its home schedule with its first invitational of the season by securing its first win, followed by two close losses. On Friday night, Rice University swept Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi 3-0. The following afternoon, the Owls fell 3-2 to the University of Arkansas, Little Rock and lost 3-1 to Louisiana State University in the nightcap.

Rice took the first set against LSU  28-26 to grab a 1-0 set lead, but LSU answered by taking the next three. At various points throughout those sets, Rice was in the lead but was unable to claim the set. The Owls fought and clawed in the fourth and final set, but the Tigers triumphed 31-29.

Senior Mariah Riddlesprigger contributed 16 kills in the LSU game, and junior Lizzy Bache was named to the All-Rice Invitational Team.

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Head Coach Genny Volpe said serving was the major issue this weekend and that the team would need to work on it at practice.

"Our serving was erratic at times," Volpe said. "In key situations, we would miss our serve or give them a really easy ball. We broke down too many times, and they really took advantage of that."  

Riddlesprigger said the team needs to avoid letting nerves get the best of it at the end of close matches, a problem she said the Owls have been struggling with in their first two weeks of play.

"We haven't been able to close very many games," Riddlesprigger said.

This weekend, Rice will host its second invitational, at which it will face Houston Baptist University, the University of Missouri and North Carolina State University.

Volpe said the Owls need to break out of their current slump before the conference season begins.

"The competition won't get any easier," Volpe said.   

Houston Baptist has an overall record of 4-3, and both Missouri and North Carolina State are thus far undefeated, but Riddlesprigger said she remains confident.

"We have the ability to play with the best," Riddlesprigger said.

Volpe said the team has special faith in its younger members, such as freshman hitter Stephanie Mendivil and freshman setter Chelsey Harris.

"Knowing we have such youth on the team is really inspiring," Volpe said.

Riddlesprigger said the team may need to tend to some issues but that she is anticipating improvement as the season goes on. She said the team's middle blockers are its key players.

"They're our go-to [players]," Riddlesprigger said. "We have a really fast offense."

Volpe said she believes wins will come once the team can match its impressive offense with a more stalwart defense.

"We can beat these teams, but it's going to take some focus and practice and execution of the little things," Volpe said. "The thing about this team is that it's never going to give up."

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