Box Score Aug. 29, 2014 Final Stats
HOUSTON - Junior
Kaylin Squyres posted a team-leading nine kills while senior libero
Megan Lancaster picked up 12 digs for UC Davis, but it was host Rice that scored the key points down the stretch in each set of a 25-21, 26-24, 25-19 sweep over the Aggies in the season-opening Rice Invitational women's volleyball tournament at Tudor Fieldhouse Friday evening.
Sophomore Kendall Walbrecht and senior Katie Quinn each added six kills, but overall the Aggies struggled to a hitting average of just .086 while committing 12 service errors. On the positive side, UC Davis did now allow a single Rice service ace. Sophomore Allie Wegener led the passers with 37 receptions without an error.
For the Owls, sophomore right side Chelsey Harris finished with a match-high 11 kills and a .360 success rate on the attack.
Save for an early 3-2 start, Rice never trailed in the first set. A run of serving and hitting miscues put UC Davis into a 13-7 hole. Two Kaylin Squyres kills brought the Aggies to within a 21-20 deficit down the stretch, but Harris recorded a kill and a block assist to avoid an equalizer, and Rice managed to close out the first set by a four-point margin.
The Aggies managed to take over the lead at multiple points in the second set, including a 19-18 edge on an Owl service error. Again, Harris and Shelby Livingstone came away with the big scores with back-to-back kills en route to a 26-24 win and the 2-0 match lead. The two teams battled to a total of 16 ties in this frame.
Four different Owls posted kills amidst a 5-1 run to push Rice to a 13-6 lead in the third. UC Davis pushed its way back into contention when sophomore Kendall Walbrecht and junior Jillian Johnson teamed up for a block, then Walbrecht followed with a kill to cut the Owl lead to just 19-16. Rice scored three of the next four to keep the Aggies at bay, senior Lizzy Bache came up with a solo stuff to set up a 24-18 match point, then setter Sara Blasier converted the side out for the match-winner for the Owls two points later.
Three players made their UC Davis debuts in the match: sophomore transfer Sophia Mar and redshirt freshman Erika Conners split up the setting duties, combining for 29 assists. Redshirt freshman Aima Eichie started in the middle in leading the Aggies with four blocks.
UC Davis concludes action at the Rice Invitational with matches against Fresno State and Louisiana-Lafayette at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
