East Carolina University
Rice
Volleyball Falls To Rice, 3-1
October 29, 2010 | Volleyball
Oct. 29, 2010
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina fell short to Rice Friday at Minges Coliseum, dropping a 3-1 (19-25, 19-25, 26-24, 16-25) decision. The Pirates are now 1-22 overall and 0-11 in league play while the Owls improve to 13-11 and 8-4, maintaining third-place in the league standings.
Junior Jackie Varnum reached double figures in kills with 10, hitting .318 for the match. Classmate Amanda Lutzow was not far behind as she put down nine. Defensively, junior Nicole Jones racked up 20 digs while Lutzow collected 14. Additionally, Varnum tallied a career-best seven blocks.
The Owls enjoyed advantages in kills (54-41), hitting (.189-.086) and digs (58-55), but the Pirates got the best of the blocking 13-12. Rice also put up four service aces as opposed to one for ECU.
The Owls took a two-point advantage after 18 rallies before quietly stretching the lead to 21-15 on a kill by Nancy Cole. The Pirates scored three-straight from there, but were bested 4-1 the rest of the way.
East Carolina scored five of the first eight points of the second frame, but Rice rallied to take a 16-12 lead when Jones committed an attacking error that forced a timeout from the Pirate sideline. However, ECU ripped off four-straight scores to draw a timeout from the visitors. The Owls responded with a 3-0 run that proved insurmountable as they took a 2-0 match lead into intermission.
With the Pirates ahead 8-6 in the third interval, Rice rallied with three consecutive points to assume a one-point advantage. The Owls were in front by as many as four at 23-19, but East Carolina answered with a 6-1 run and took their first set point of the match when Megan Shepard hit the ball long. Rice committed another attack error on the next rally, sending the match to a fourth frame.
An Owl 7-2 run at the beginning of the set saw the visitors comfortably ahead, but the Pirates cut the deficit to one at 9-8 to draw a Rice timeout. The Owls then put together a decisive 8-3 stretch that made the score 17-11. ECU pulled within 21-16, but two Rice kills and a pair of Pirate attack errors clinched the match for the Owls.
East Carolina returns to Minges Coliseum Sunday, hosting Houston. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.
