Volleyball Drops Nailbiting 3-2 Match to Virginia Tech

Friday, September 2

Puerto Rico

3:00 p.m.

Temple University

2-1

Virginia Tech

4-1

Temple

Virginia Tech

Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University

Volleyball Drops Nailbiting 3-2 Match to Virginia Tech

9.2.16 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico -- The Temple volleyball team lost a heart-breaking 3-2 match to Virginia Tech in the Owls' Puerto Rico Clasico opener on Friday night. The Hokies (4-1) handed Temple its first loss of the season, a 23-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-18, 16-14 nail biter.

Temple won the first and third sets, with Virginia Tech winning the second and fourth, setting the stage for a winner-take-all fifth frame. Virginia Tech had the lead through most of the set, before four-straight points from the Owls gave them the lead, 14-13. From there, Virginia Tech rallied for three-straight, including ending the set with two aces.

Individually for the Owls, junior Irem Asci racked up 23 kills, adding 14 digs and two aces. Junior Izzy Rapacz also notched a double-double, the first of her career, with 14 kills, 17 digs, also adding a career-best eight blocks. Junior Kyra Coundourides again topped her career-high wth 58 assists, also tallying 10 digs.

Sophomore Iva Deak notched nine kills and six blocks, while junior Dara Peric had eight kills and 11 digs. Senior Kirsten Overton (7 kills, 6 blocks), and sophomore Mia Heirakuji (12 digs) rounded out the individual highlights for the Owls.

Temple jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, taking a tight first set. The Owls hit .389 with 17 kills and just three errors, holding the Hokies to a .179 attack. Virginia Tech cut the Owl lead to just one down the stretch but Temple held on for the 25-23 victory.

Virginia Tech tied the match at 1-1 with a win in the second. The set featured 10 ties and seven lead changes, but it was Virginia Tech that got hot at the right time. Temple hit .257 in the frame, but the Hokies made just two errors, also out-digging the Owls 18-14.

Temple took a 2-1 match lead with a 25-21 set three victory. Asci took over the set with eight kills, while Overton and Rapacz had three each. The Owls took the lead with a run of four-straight points, including two kills from Rapacz, making it 9-6. From there, Temple didn't relinquish the lead, closing out the set on a Virginia Tech service error.

The Owls struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the fourth set, hitting .000 with 10 errors. Temple cut the Virginia Tech lead to four late in the action, but the Hokies closed out the most lopsided set, 25-18.

After Virginia Tech held the lead most of the way, Temple rallied in the final set to tie the frame at 13-13. The Owls were able to take a 14-13 lead, but Virginia Tech scored three-straight to close the set and the match.

Temple will next take on Alabama tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.

Box Score (PDF)