Saturday, September 4
Houston 3, McNeese 1 (21-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-21)/Houston 3, ULM 0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-21)
Houston remained undefeated and moved to 6-0 on the season with a pair of Saturday victories. The Cougars defeated McNeese by scores of 21-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-21 to open the day before sweeping ULM 25-18, 25-13, 25-21 in the nightcap.
Isabel Theut hit .348 with 11 kills and three block assists to lead Houston in the McNeese match, while Abbie Jackson chipped in 10 kills and eight digs. Annie Cooke added 35 assists and five digs. Jackson’s nine kills and Theut’s eight kills and .545 hitting percentage paced the Cougars against ULM.
Memphis 3, Central Arkansas 0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-18)
Memphis joined Houston at 6-0 with a sixth consecutive sweep to kick off 2021, downing Central Arkansas 25-18, 25-22, 25-18.
Miaya Smith guided Memphis with 12 kills on an even .600 hitting to go along with three digs. Sabrina Bianco registered 37 assists, six digs and two service aces in the win for the Tigers, and Gigi Crescenzo filled up the stat sheet with six kills, three aces, two block assists and a team-high 12 digs.
Cincinnati 3, No. RV Notre Dame 1 (34-32, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21)
Cincinnati put forth an impressive showing against fringe top-25 contender Notre Dame, defeating the Irish in four sets on the road on Saturday. The Bearcats won a wild first set by a 34-32 score and bounced back from a 23-25 setback in the second to close the match 25-14, 25-21.
Maria Mallon filled up the box score with 24 kills and 25 digs for Cincinnati, hitting .264 for the match. Kailea Carrier contributed 12 kills on .632 hitting and recorded four total blocks in the contest, and Emme Madden added a double-double with 60 assists and 11 digs.
Temple 3, LIU 0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-18)
Temple defended home court by rolling past LIU in straight sets on Saturday. The Owls won by scores of 25-20, 25-19, 25-18.
Katerina Papazoglou led all players with 14 kills, and Gem Grimshaw narrowly missed a double-double with 13 kills and nine digs. Taylor Davenport hit nine kills while hitting .615 for Temple.
No. RV Rice 3, SMU 1 (27-25, 17-25, 22-25, 22-25)
Rice held home court and downed visiting SMU in four sets in nonconference play. The Owls emerged with a 25-27, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22 decision.
Lily Heim registered 46 assists and added 12 digs for SMU, and Rachel Woulfe contributed a team-high 15 kills. Alex Glover hit .471 with nine kills and registered five block assists.
NC State 3, East Carolina 0 (18-25, 14-25, 13-25)/North Carolina 3, East Carolina 0 (19-25, 21-25, 15-25)
East Carolina fell in a pair of road matches across the triangle on Saturday, losing in straight sets at NC State and at North Carolina. The Wolfpack downed the Pirates 25-18, 25-14, 25-13 before the Tar Heels stopped ECU 25-19, 25-21, 25-15.
Natalie Tyson led ECU with 11 kills and 10 digs across the doubleheader, and Tia Shum finished with a team-high 21 digs.