Defending American Champion Wichita State Tops Volleyball

Sunday, October 28

Wichita, Kan.

2:00 PM

Temple University

6-17,2-9

Wichita State

11-11, 6-5

Temple

Wichita State

Photo by: Nguyen Ho

Defending American Champion Wichita State Tops Volleyball

10.28.18 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

WICHITA, Kan. -- Defending American Athletic Conference Champion Wichita State topped the Temple Volleyball team on Sunday afternoon in Wichita. The Shockers swept the Owls, 3-0, with set scores of 25-19, 25-21, 25-19. The loss drops the Owls to 5-18, 2-9 in conference play, while WSU improves to 11-11, 6-5 in the American.

Keys to the Match
> Wichita State hit .314 as a team and held a 67% sideout percentage, while the Owls hit just .165, siding out 53% of the points.
> The Shockers used early leads in the first two sets, holding off late Temple charges to go up 2-0.
> Temple started fast in the third, but the Shockers made a run midway through action to change momentum.

Individual Highlights
> Graduate student Irem Asci tallied a double-double with 11 kills and with 11 kills and 12 digs.
> Junior Dana Westfield finished with 10 kills, while freshman Peyton Boyd had eight, hitting .389, and senior Carla Guennewig tallied six kills
> Freshman Tyler Lindgren dished out 25 assists, with senior Hannah Vandegrift adding 11.
> Senior Mia Heirakuji led all players with 18 digs, while sophomore Averi Salvador had eight.

Set One: WSU 25, Temple 19
> Wichita State opened with a 5-1 lead and didn't relinquish the lead.
> Temple cut it to 9-6 on back-to-back kills from Gem Grimshaw and Westfield.
> Wichita State went on another run to create distance, but Temple narrowed the gap to 21-17.
> That was as close as the Owls would get, as the Shockers closed it out.

Set Two: WSU 25, Temple 21
> It was another hot start for WSU in the second, as as the Shockers lead 6-2 early.
> Wichita State pushed it to 16-8, using a solid 71% hideout percentage. 
> Temple then narrowed the lead to 21-16 using a 5-1 surge. 
> Following a timeout, the Owls got it as close as 24-21, but the Shockers got the final point to win the set.

Set Three: WSU 25, Temple 19
> Temple had the hot start to the third, going up 6-3 early.
> However, an extended Wichita State run put the hosts back on top, 11-8.
> Temple kept it close, as a Heirakuji ace cut it to 16-15 forcing a timeout.
> Out of the break, the the Shockers push ahead 20-16 and then close out the set 25-19, for a 3-0 win.

Up Next:
> Temple has a rare Thursday-Saturday series, playing both at McGonigle Hall this week.
> The Owls welcome USF on Friday and UCF on Saturday.