Volleyball Escapes with Thrilling Win at Houston

Sunday, October 1

Houston, Texas

2:00 PM

Temple University

7-5, 3-1American

Houston

5-7, 1-3American

Temple

Houston

Photo by: Nguyen Ho

Volleyball Escapes with Thrilling Win at Houston

10.1.17 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA -- Temple volleyball needed all five sets to win its third straight match, rallying to top Houston on Sunday, 3-2, on the road. Trailing 12-9 in the fifth set, Temple rallied for six of the final seven points to complete the 25-18, 25-20, 18-25, 26-28, 15-13 victory. The win lifts the Owls to 7-5 overall with a 3-1 mark in conference play, while Houston dips to 5-7, 1-3.

KEYS TO THE MATCH
> Temple combined to hit .275 in the first two sets, holding Houston to a .140 attack and going up 2-0.
> The Cougars turned the tables by hitting .306 in the third set to grab a 25-18 win.
> A tightly played fourth set in which both teams hit better than .350 saw Houston take the narrow 28-26 win.
> Houston had the edge in the fifth frame, going up 12-9, before a late rally saw the Owls win 15-13.

INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
> Senior Kyra Coundourides tallying a double-double of 49 assists and 12 digs.
> Coundourides also recorded career assist number 2,500 this weekend.
> Senior Izzy Rapacz finished with 12 kills, 17 digs, and five blocks for another double-double.
> Senior Dara Peric wrapped up the double-doubles with 10 kills and 14 digs.
> Redshirt freshman Dana Westfield had a career-best 19 kills.
> Junior Iva Deak had six kills and three blocks.
> Senior Janine Simmons tallied 10 kills and five blocks.
> Junior Mia Heirakuji led the Owls with 19 digs.
> Freshman Katerina Papazoglou had a career-high 10 digs.

SET ONE: Temple 25, Houston 18
> Houston led early, but an 8-1 Temple run put the Owls up 11-7.
> The Cougars then surged to cut the lead to 12-11.
> Temple responded with four-straight including a Rapacz kill that made it 16-11.
> The Owls worked around a late 3-0 Cougar run to win 25-18 on a Rapacz/Simmons block.

SET TWO: Temple 25, Houston 20
> Temple grabbed control of a one-point set with a 5-1 run to go up 16-11.
> Houston battled back to go up 20-19 with an 8-1 run.
> The Owls were able to score five-straight to end the frame, 25-20, going up 2-0.

SET THREE: Houston 25, Temple 18
> Temple led early, but a 4-0 Houston run gave the hosts a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
> A 4-0 Cougar run pushed the lead to 15-9 before Temple cut it to 20-16.
> Houston then closed out the frame with a 5-2 run.

SET FOUR: Houston 28, Temple 26
> Set four was close throughout play, as neither team led by more than two points the entire frame.
> 19 ties and seven lead changes took the set to extra points.
> Overall, four set points were spoiled before Houston strung three in a row to win 28-26.

SET FIVE: Temple 15, Houston 13
> Temple got on the board first, but Houston quickly took control.
> The Cougars forced the bench switch with an 8-5 lead.
> Houston scored two more after the switch to go up, 10-5.
> Temple took three of the next four points to cut it to 11-9.
> Houston pushed ahead going back up 13-10.
> From there, Temple scored five straight points to win.
> The Owls final points included a block from Westfield and Deak and a Rapacz ace that won it for Temple.

UP NEXT
> Temple is back in action with a pair of home matches next weeknd.
> The Owls will play East Carolina on Friday at 7:00 p.m.
> Cincinnati will visit McGonigle on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
> Donate to Temple's "Dig Pink" initiatve for Breast Cancer all weekend at: https://giving.side-out.org/campaigns/13267