Volleyball Downs Tulsa to Celebrate Senior Day

Friday, November 25

McGonigle Hall

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

22-8, 15-5American

Tulsa

18-14, 7-13American

Tulsa

Temple

Volleyball Downs Tulsa to Celebrate Senior Day

11.25.16 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Video Highlights

PHILADELPHIA -- Temple volleyball celebrated Senior Day with a gritty 3-1 win over visiting Tulsa on Friday afternoon at McGonigle Hall. The Owls got the victory, 25-17, 25-16, 25-21, 19-25, 27-25, to improve to 22-8 overall, 15-5 in The American. Tulsa ends its season at 19-13 overall, 8-12 in conference play.

All three Temple seniors played well in their last match at McGonigle Hall. Tyler Davis recorded 12 kills, hitting .333, while Kirsten Overton had eight kills and seven blocks. Caroline Grattan finished her afternoon with five kills, also adding a pair of digs. Temple's Class of 2017 compiled an impressive 88-38 overall record in their careers, including a 54-24 record in conference play.

The Owls won the first two sets before Tulsa stormed back to make it 2-1. Late in the fourth set, it appeared the match was heading for a fifth, as Temple trailed 23-19. From there, the Owls rattled off a 7-2 run, including spoiling two set points for Tulsa, to take the frame 27-25, and the match, 3-1.

Individually, juniors Izzy Rapacz and Kyra Coundourides each tallied double-doubles with Rapacz putting down 13 kills with 16 digs, while Coundourides finished with 49 assists and a match-high 17 digs. Junior Janine Simmons hammered 10 kills, hitting .471, while classmate Irem Asci had eight kills, seven digs and three blocks. Defensively, sophomore Mia Heirakuji had 14 digs, while junior Dara Peric added 11.

Temple was unstoppable in the first frame, hitting .400 with just two errors. The Owls took control of the set after a 9-9 tie, quickly running the lead to 16-11. Tulsa got the lead down to three, but that's as close as they could come, as Temple finished with an 8-2 run to take set one, 25-16.

Tulsa led early in set two, but Temple got a pair of kills from Grattan and Rapacz to take over the advantage at 9-7. That sparked a 6-2 Temple run that gave the Owls a 15-9 lead. The Hurricane got as close as 17-14 before a Davis kill made it 22-16 Temple. Tulsa responded with a 5-0 run to cut it to 22-21, but the Owls got an attack error from Tulsa and a Davis kill to end it, 25-21.

Set three was tied at 12-12 before Temple used a 4-1 edge to take the lead. Tulsa answered, tying things at 16-16 and 17-17, before going on an extended run, an 8-2 surge, to take the set 25-19.

Temple led early in set four, opening a 14-9 advantage on early kills from Davis and Rapacz. Tulsa answered with long 14-5 run to go up, 23-19, making it appear as if the match was destined for five sets. From there, Temple rattled off three-straight points to cut it to two at 23-21 on a Rapacz kill. Tulsa got the point on the next serve to go up 24-21, but Temple used a little senior day magic, going on a 6-1 run to end things on a block from Overton and Rapacz. During the final stretch, Temple spoiled a pair of set points for Tulsa.

The Owls will now await a possible at-large bid to the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Selections will be announced live on ESPNU on Sunday night at 9:00 p.m.

Box Score (PDF) | Video Highlights