Temple University Athletics
Thursday, November 9
Dallas, Texas
8:00 PM
Temple University
15-8, 11-4AAC
3
at
2
SMU
18-8, 12-3AAC
1
2
3
4
5
F
Temple
21
17
26
25
17
3
SMU
25
25
24
22
15
2
Photo by: Nguyen Ho
Comeback Win for Volleyball at SMU
11.9.17 | Women's Volleyball
DALLAS -- The Temple volleyball team notched another thrilling come-from-behind road win, rallying for a 3-2 win at SMU on Thursday night. The Owls stormed back from an 0-2 deficit to win 21-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-22, 17-15. Temple improves to 15-8 overall, 11-4 in conference play, while SMU falls to 18-8, 12-3 in the AAC.
KEYS TO THE MATCH
> Temple dropped the first two sets, succumbing to late SMU runs to fall behind 0-2.
> In the first two frames combined, Temple hit just .079 with SMU attacking at a .195 clip.
> The Owls' offense clicked in the final three sets, as the team combined to hit .318, including .448 in the fifth.
> The comeback started with a 26-24 Owls win in the third.
> Temple surged late in the third to win 25-22, and then won a nail-biting fifth set, 17-15.
> For the match, Temple out-hit SMU .220 to .204, and out-dug the Mustangs, 95-88.
INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
> Senior Izzy Rapacz finished with another near triple-double, tallying 14 kills, a career-best 20 digs, and eight blocks.
> Senior Kyra Coundourides ran the offense, racking up 54 assists and adding 16 digs.
> Redshirt freshman Dana Westfield led the Owls with 15 kills.
> Junior Iva Deak notched 14 kills, hitting .407, with seven blocks.
> Senior Janine Simmons had nine kills and seven blocks.
> Freshman Katerina Papazoglou ended her night with nine kills and 10 digs.
> Junior Mia Heirakuji tied for a team-high with 20 digs.
> Freshman Averi Salvador notched 14 digs, while senior Dara Peric added six.
SET ONE: SMU 25, Temple 21
> SMU won a tight first set with a late surge.
> The lead changed hands four times before Temple edged ahead 16-14.
> From there, SMU surged, going on a 10-4 run to go up 24-18.
> Temple spoiled three-straight set points, but ultimately SMU got the set winner.
SET TWO: SMU 25, Temple 17
> Temple hit just .024 in the second set as the Mustangs increased their lead to 2-0.
> Despite the hitting woes, Temple led as late as 16-15.
> Five unanswered SMU points turned the tides, however, as SMU closed out the frame on a 10-1 run.
SET THREE: Temple 26, SMU 24
> The Owls stayed alive with a closed win in the third frame.
> Temple hit .289 to SMU's .179, but needed a late surge to get the victory.
> The Owls had an early 14-8 advantage erased by an 8-2 SMU run that knotted things at 16-16.
> SMU edged ahead, holding a 23-21 advantage, before a key Temple timeout.
> Out of the break, the Owls scored five of the next six points to win 26-24.
SET FOUR: Temple 25, SMU 22
> Another late Temple run tied the match at 2-2.
> Temple had a very early lead, but SMU battled back to tie the set at 10-10.
> The frame featured six more ties, including as late as 18-18.
> Rapacz gave the Owls a slim 20-19 lead before SMU battled back to take a 22-21 lead.
> From there, SMU recorded four-straight attack errors, the last of which was a block from Deak and Papazoglou to give Temple a 25-22 win.
SET FIVE: Temple 17, SMU 15
> 15 ties and seven lead changes were the story in the final frame.
> Neither team led by more than a point, until Temple's set and match winner at the end.
> Up 14-13 Temple had the match-winner spoiled, before SMU got back-to-back kills to go up 15-14.
> The Owls answered back with back-to-back blocks to seal the victory on the road.
UP NEXT
> Temple heads to Tulsa for a Saturday match beginning at 1:00 p.m. EST.
KEYS TO THE MATCH
> Temple dropped the first two sets, succumbing to late SMU runs to fall behind 0-2.
> In the first two frames combined, Temple hit just .079 with SMU attacking at a .195 clip.
> The Owls' offense clicked in the final three sets, as the team combined to hit .318, including .448 in the fifth.
> The comeback started with a 26-24 Owls win in the third.
> Temple surged late in the third to win 25-22, and then won a nail-biting fifth set, 17-15.
> For the match, Temple out-hit SMU .220 to .204, and out-dug the Mustangs, 95-88.
INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
> Senior Izzy Rapacz finished with another near triple-double, tallying 14 kills, a career-best 20 digs, and eight blocks.
> Senior Kyra Coundourides ran the offense, racking up 54 assists and adding 16 digs.
> Redshirt freshman Dana Westfield led the Owls with 15 kills.
> Junior Iva Deak notched 14 kills, hitting .407, with seven blocks.
> Senior Janine Simmons had nine kills and seven blocks.
> Freshman Katerina Papazoglou ended her night with nine kills and 10 digs.
> Junior Mia Heirakuji tied for a team-high with 20 digs.
> Freshman Averi Salvador notched 14 digs, while senior Dara Peric added six.
SET ONE: SMU 25, Temple 21
> SMU won a tight first set with a late surge.
> The lead changed hands four times before Temple edged ahead 16-14.
> From there, SMU surged, going on a 10-4 run to go up 24-18.
> Temple spoiled three-straight set points, but ultimately SMU got the set winner.
SET TWO: SMU 25, Temple 17
> Temple hit just .024 in the second set as the Mustangs increased their lead to 2-0.
> Despite the hitting woes, Temple led as late as 16-15.
> Five unanswered SMU points turned the tides, however, as SMU closed out the frame on a 10-1 run.
SET THREE: Temple 26, SMU 24
> The Owls stayed alive with a closed win in the third frame.
> Temple hit .289 to SMU's .179, but needed a late surge to get the victory.
> The Owls had an early 14-8 advantage erased by an 8-2 SMU run that knotted things at 16-16.
> SMU edged ahead, holding a 23-21 advantage, before a key Temple timeout.
> Out of the break, the Owls scored five of the next six points to win 26-24.
SET FOUR: Temple 25, SMU 22
> Another late Temple run tied the match at 2-2.
> Temple had a very early lead, but SMU battled back to tie the set at 10-10.
> The frame featured six more ties, including as late as 18-18.
> Rapacz gave the Owls a slim 20-19 lead before SMU battled back to take a 22-21 lead.
> From there, SMU recorded four-straight attack errors, the last of which was a block from Deak and Papazoglou to give Temple a 25-22 win.
SET FIVE: Temple 17, SMU 15
> 15 ties and seven lead changes were the story in the final frame.
> Neither team led by more than a point, until Temple's set and match winner at the end.
> Up 14-13 Temple had the match-winner spoiled, before SMU got back-to-back kills to go up 15-14.
> The Owls answered back with back-to-back blocks to seal the victory on the road.
UP NEXT
> Temple heads to Tulsa for a Saturday match beginning at 1:00 p.m. EST.
Team Stats
TEMPLE
SMU
Kills
65
69
Errors
24
27
Attempts
186
206
Hitting %
.220
.204
Points
82.0
90.0
Assists
63
65
Aces
3
6
Blocks
14.0
15.0
Game Leaders
Kills
15
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
14
Aces
1
Blocks
8
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Players Mentioned
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballOH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballMBB Press Conference vs. ECU (Adam Fisher)
Thursday, January 08
Temple Men's Basketball 2025-26 All Access | Game 15 vs UTSA 1.03.2026
Tuesday, January 06
MBB Press Conference vs.UTSA (Adam Fisher, Gavin Griffiths, Jordan Mason)
Sunday, January 04
MBB Press Conference vs. Princeton (Adam Fisher)
Tuesday, December 23
