Temple University Athletics
Friday, November 4
Houston, Texas
8:00 p.m.
Temple University
at
Houston
Photo by: Betsy Manning/Temple University
Volleyball Continues American Play at Houston and Tulane
11.3.16 | Women's Volleyball
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple volleyball team hits the road for a weekend American Athletic Conference series, traveling to Houston (Friday, 8:00 p.m.) and Tulane (Sunday, 12:00 p.m.)
FOLLOW
  • at Houston - Live Stats | Watch Live ($)
  • at Tulane - Live Stats
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAY
  Temple looks to extend its four-match win streak, topping East Carolina and Cincinnati two weeks ago, and UConn and Memphis last week. The Owls (9-3) sit in third place in the conference standings, but have head-to-head wins over SMU (11-1) and Cincinnati (10-2).Â
LAST TIME OUT: TEMPLE 3, MEMPHIS 2 (AMERICAN)
  Hawaiian night brought a touch of extra magic for Temple volleyball, as the Owls rallied for a 3-2 victory over Memphis on Friday, winning 17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 16-25, 20-18. Juniors Izzy Rapacz and Irem Asci combined for 35 kills for the Owls, with Rapacz racking up 17 kills, 18 digs, and seven blocks, while Asci ended her night with 17 kills, 15 digs and a pair of aces. Senior Kirsten Overton racked up nine kills and six blocks, hitting .350, while classmate Tyler Davis put down eight kills. Junior Janine Simmons finished with six kill and four blocks, while Deak made her presence known, racking up six kills on seven attempts (.857), including four in the deciding frame.
   Junior setter Kyra Coundourides racked up a career-best 59 assists to pace Temple's offense, also adding seven digs. Hawaiian native Mia Heirakuji had a match-best 23 digs in the win, while junior Dara Peric chipped in with 11.
LAST TIME OUT: TEMPLE 3, UCONN 0 (AMERICAN)
  The Owls hit a season-best .346 in a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-22, 25-19) over visiting UConn on Wednesday night. Junior Irem Asci racked up match-best totals of 16 kills and 14 digs for a double-double. Classmate Izzy Rapacz added nine kills, while senior Tyler Davis had six. Senior Kirsten Overton notched four kills without an error, also piling on five blocks, while sophomore Iva Deak had three kills on four attempts for a .750 attack.Â
   Junior Kyra Coundourides ran the offense to the tune of 39 assists, also adding seven digs, three kills, and two aces. Sophomore Mia Heirakuji shored up the Owls' defense with 12 digs.
COUNDOURIDES EARNS SECOND-STRAIGHT HONOR ROLL NOD
  Temple's Kyra Coundourides was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll for the period for the second-straight week. Coundourides led Temple's offense in a 2-0 week, as the Owls dispatched conference foes, UConn and Memphis. The junior racked up 98 assists between two matches, averaging 12.25 assists per set. Coundourides opened the week with 39 assists, seven digs, three kills, and two aces in a sweep over UConn, and closed out the week with a career-high 59 assists, as Temple topped Memphis. For the week, she also averaged 1.75 digs per set, while adding two blocks.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
  Junior Irem Asci leads the Temple offense, racking up 4.37 kills per set, ranking her second in the conference and 19th in the nation. Junior Izzy Rapacz (2.83 kills/set) and senior Tyler Davis (2.05 kills/set) attack from the outside for Temple, while senior Kirsten Overton (1.69 kill/set), sophomore Iva Deak (1.58 kills/set), and junior Janine Simmons (1.20 kills/set) shore up the middle. Junior Kyra Coundourides is Temple's top setter, averaging 10.65 assists per set, while sophomore Hannah Vandegrift adds 3.56 assists per frame.
  Defensively, Temple is led by sophomore Mia Heirakuji, who averages 3.43 digs per set. Asci (2.98 digs/set), Rapacz (2.55 digs/set), and Coundourides (2.29 digs/set) beef up the back row for the Owls. At the net, Temple is led by Overton's 85 blocks, while Rapacz has 80 and Deak has 70.Â
  As a team, Temple hits .240 and holds opponents to a .193 attack. The Owls rank second in the American in team hitting (.240) and aces per set (1.34). The Owls also rank third in blocks per set (2.20), assists per set (12.73), kills per set (13.52).
SCOUTING HOUSTON
  The Cougars enter the weekend series with a 5-18 overall record, including 0-12 in conference play.Â
  Three Houston players average over 2.0 kills per set, including Sarah Afflerbaugh (2.72), Brianna Lynch (2.61), and Megan Duncan (2.15). The Cougars hit .177 as a team, with Keandra McCardell leading the team with 7.00 assists per set.Â
  Defensively, Katie Karbo averages 4.42 digs per set with McCardell contributing 1.89 digs per set, and Afflerbaugh adding 1.78. At the net, Chenelle Walker has racked up 49 total blocks, while Hunter Wise has 39.Â
OWLS VS. THE COUGARS
  Temple has a slim 5-3 lead in the all-time series, with the teams splitting the two match-ups last year. Earlier this season, the Owls topped the Cougars 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-17) in McGonigle Hall.Â
SCOUTING TULANE
  Tulane enters this weekend with a 13-11 overall record, including 5-7 in conference play. The Green Wave have lost five out of their last six, including a 3-2 heart breaker to league-leading SMU in their last outing.
  Sarah Ray leads the Tulane attack with 3.65 kills per set, while Tea Juric (2.82 kills/set) and Hannah Shaw (2.45 kills/set), also bolster the Green Wave offense. Justine Bowers is the primary setter, averaging 9.80 assists per frame.
  Defensively, Dayna Kern has a team-best 91 total blocks, which ranks her third in the conference, while Sarah Strasner has 73. Kaylie McHugh (4.37 digs/set) and Juric (2.85 digs/set) shore up the back row.Â
OWLS VS. THE GREEN WAVE
  Temple leads the all-time series with Tulane, 3-2, with the teams splitting last season. Earlier this year, Tulane took the meeting between the two teams, nabbing a 3-2 marathon win (25-18, 22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 22-20) at McGonigle Hall.Â
TWO TEMPLE MATCHES TO AIR ON AMERICAN DIGITAL NETWORK
  Two Temple volleyball matches will be part of the American Digital Network's 18-game fall schedule. The Owls will air live on ADN for matches against UCF (away) and SMU (home). ADN is covering a total of three volleyball matches this fall.
Match Notes (PDF)
FOLLOW
  • at Houston - Live Stats | Watch Live ($)
  • at Tulane - Live Stats
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAY
  Temple looks to extend its four-match win streak, topping East Carolina and Cincinnati two weeks ago, and UConn and Memphis last week. The Owls (9-3) sit in third place in the conference standings, but have head-to-head wins over SMU (11-1) and Cincinnati (10-2).Â
LAST TIME OUT: TEMPLE 3, MEMPHIS 2 (AMERICAN)
  Hawaiian night brought a touch of extra magic for Temple volleyball, as the Owls rallied for a 3-2 victory over Memphis on Friday, winning 17-25, 25-13, 25-23, 16-25, 20-18. Juniors Izzy Rapacz and Irem Asci combined for 35 kills for the Owls, with Rapacz racking up 17 kills, 18 digs, and seven blocks, while Asci ended her night with 17 kills, 15 digs and a pair of aces. Senior Kirsten Overton racked up nine kills and six blocks, hitting .350, while classmate Tyler Davis put down eight kills. Junior Janine Simmons finished with six kill and four blocks, while Deak made her presence known, racking up six kills on seven attempts (.857), including four in the deciding frame.
   Junior setter Kyra Coundourides racked up a career-best 59 assists to pace Temple's offense, also adding seven digs. Hawaiian native Mia Heirakuji had a match-best 23 digs in the win, while junior Dara Peric chipped in with 11.
LAST TIME OUT: TEMPLE 3, UCONN 0 (AMERICAN)
  The Owls hit a season-best .346 in a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-22, 25-19) over visiting UConn on Wednesday night. Junior Irem Asci racked up match-best totals of 16 kills and 14 digs for a double-double. Classmate Izzy Rapacz added nine kills, while senior Tyler Davis had six. Senior Kirsten Overton notched four kills without an error, also piling on five blocks, while sophomore Iva Deak had three kills on four attempts for a .750 attack.Â
   Junior Kyra Coundourides ran the offense to the tune of 39 assists, also adding seven digs, three kills, and two aces. Sophomore Mia Heirakuji shored up the Owls' defense with 12 digs.
COUNDOURIDES EARNS SECOND-STRAIGHT HONOR ROLL NOD
  Temple's Kyra Coundourides was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll for the period for the second-straight week. Coundourides led Temple's offense in a 2-0 week, as the Owls dispatched conference foes, UConn and Memphis. The junior racked up 98 assists between two matches, averaging 12.25 assists per set. Coundourides opened the week with 39 assists, seven digs, three kills, and two aces in a sweep over UConn, and closed out the week with a career-high 59 assists, as Temple topped Memphis. For the week, she also averaged 1.75 digs per set, while adding two blocks.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
  Junior Irem Asci leads the Temple offense, racking up 4.37 kills per set, ranking her second in the conference and 19th in the nation. Junior Izzy Rapacz (2.83 kills/set) and senior Tyler Davis (2.05 kills/set) attack from the outside for Temple, while senior Kirsten Overton (1.69 kill/set), sophomore Iva Deak (1.58 kills/set), and junior Janine Simmons (1.20 kills/set) shore up the middle. Junior Kyra Coundourides is Temple's top setter, averaging 10.65 assists per set, while sophomore Hannah Vandegrift adds 3.56 assists per frame.
  Defensively, Temple is led by sophomore Mia Heirakuji, who averages 3.43 digs per set. Asci (2.98 digs/set), Rapacz (2.55 digs/set), and Coundourides (2.29 digs/set) beef up the back row for the Owls. At the net, Temple is led by Overton's 85 blocks, while Rapacz has 80 and Deak has 70.Â
  As a team, Temple hits .240 and holds opponents to a .193 attack. The Owls rank second in the American in team hitting (.240) and aces per set (1.34). The Owls also rank third in blocks per set (2.20), assists per set (12.73), kills per set (13.52).
SCOUTING HOUSTON
  The Cougars enter the weekend series with a 5-18 overall record, including 0-12 in conference play.Â
  Three Houston players average over 2.0 kills per set, including Sarah Afflerbaugh (2.72), Brianna Lynch (2.61), and Megan Duncan (2.15). The Cougars hit .177 as a team, with Keandra McCardell leading the team with 7.00 assists per set.Â
  Defensively, Katie Karbo averages 4.42 digs per set with McCardell contributing 1.89 digs per set, and Afflerbaugh adding 1.78. At the net, Chenelle Walker has racked up 49 total blocks, while Hunter Wise has 39.Â
OWLS VS. THE COUGARS
  Temple has a slim 5-3 lead in the all-time series, with the teams splitting the two match-ups last year. Earlier this season, the Owls topped the Cougars 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-17) in McGonigle Hall.Â
SCOUTING TULANE
  Tulane enters this weekend with a 13-11 overall record, including 5-7 in conference play. The Green Wave have lost five out of their last six, including a 3-2 heart breaker to league-leading SMU in their last outing.
  Sarah Ray leads the Tulane attack with 3.65 kills per set, while Tea Juric (2.82 kills/set) and Hannah Shaw (2.45 kills/set), also bolster the Green Wave offense. Justine Bowers is the primary setter, averaging 9.80 assists per frame.
  Defensively, Dayna Kern has a team-best 91 total blocks, which ranks her third in the conference, while Sarah Strasner has 73. Kaylie McHugh (4.37 digs/set) and Juric (2.85 digs/set) shore up the back row.Â
OWLS VS. THE GREEN WAVE
  Temple leads the all-time series with Tulane, 3-2, with the teams splitting last season. Earlier this year, Tulane took the meeting between the two teams, nabbing a 3-2 marathon win (25-18, 22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 22-20) at McGonigle Hall.Â
TWO TEMPLE MATCHES TO AIR ON AMERICAN DIGITAL NETWORK
  Two Temple volleyball matches will be part of the American Digital Network's 18-game fall schedule. The Owls will air live on ADN for matches against UCF (away) and SMU (home). ADN is covering a total of three volleyball matches this fall.
Match Notes (PDF)
Players Mentioned
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