Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
MIAMI (Oct. 31, 2014) – Despite having three players reach double-digit kill figures, the FIU volleyball team suffered a 3-1 (18-25, 22-25, 31-29, 25-18) Conference USA loss to the Rice Owls from Lime Court at FIU Arena on Friday night.
FIU (6-19, 3-9 C-USA) was out-hit by Rice .257 to .149, as the Owls (19-6, 9-2) posted 13 total blocks compared to seven by the Panthers. FIU was also out-dug by Rice, 75-60.
Three players recorded double-digits in kills for the Panthers, as
Gloria Levorin led the way with a season-high 16.
Lucia Castro posted her second-straight double-digit kills match with 15 and
Jennifer Ene added career-high tying 13.
Kiona McSwain dished out a career-best 47 assists to average 11.75 assists-per-set on the night.
Defensively, the Panthers were led by
Adriana McLamb who had match-high 20 digs and
Martyna Gluchowicz who posted 12.
Tina Toghiyani and Castro both recorded eight digs apiece.
Rice also had three players reach double figures in kills as Jillian Humphrey led the way with a match-high 17 and a .367 hitting percentage. Chelsey Harris had 16 kills and a match-high .433 percentage, while Leah Mikesky had 14. Noelle Whitlock and Kemberly Vaio led the Owls on the back row with 16 digs each.
The first two sets went back and forth as they combined for 24 ties and six lead changes. With the score tied at 16-16 in the first, Rice went on a 9-2 run to close out the frame 25-18. After exchanging the first couple of points in the second, the Owls served three-straight points to take an 11-8 advantage. However, FIU profited off of two kills and a Rice attack error to tie it up at 11. The set continued to swing back and forth until a 4-0 Panther run gave them a 19-16 advantage forcing Rice to take a timeout. Following the hiatus, the Owls used a 4-1 run to tie the frame up at 20-all that forced FIU to use a timeout. After the break, Rice wasted no time with a 5-2 run to take the set 25-22 and a 2-0 match lead.
Following the mid-match intermission, Rice picked up right where it left off taking an early 8-3 lead; however, FIU slowly but surely forced its way back into the set after a 10-3 run to take a 13-12 lead which forced the Owls to use a timeout. From there the frame went back and forth as it had 12 ties and seven lead changes throughout. With the score 24-22, back-to-back Rice kills got them right back in it and took the lead after a block to force a set point. The Panthers had different ideas as a block from Ene and McSwain tied the set back up at 25-25. The Owls forced set point three more times, but FIU profited once more from the Rice errors and took set three, 31-29.
The Owls opened the fourth frame much like the third going on a 9-3 early offensive tear that was interrupted by a fire alarm in the gym. After a 22 minute delay, FIU once again would pull back into it getting within two. However, it seemed to be too little too late for the Panthers as they fell, 25-18.
FIU will continue C-USA play with a Sunday afternoon match against the Charlotte 49ers. First serve between the Panthers and 49ers is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET, from Lime Court at FIU Arena.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUVolleyball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUVolleyball) for all the latest FIU volleyball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
#
About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean BankField at FIU Stadium. About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 4-00 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.
