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SPORTS
Home-court advantage aids Owls in victory
HOUSTON, Texas -- For Rice, there was nothing like a little home-court advantage in the Conference USA volleyball championship match.
The host Owls upset second-seeded Tulsa 3-1 at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston to win the first volleyball title in school history and move the Owls into the NCAA tournament.
The championship was broadcast nationally on CBS College Sports.
Rice extended its winning streak to eight matches with the win and avenged a pair of regular-season losses to Tulsa as well.
All-Conference USA first-team selection Ashley McCord registered 24 kills while Natalie Bogan added 12. Jennifer McClean registered her 13th double-double of the season with 11 kills and 17 digs.
McClean and Tracey Lam were both all-tournament selections, along with teammate Meredith Schamun, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Schamun had 49 assists in the four-set win while also accounting for 13 digs on the defensive end.
Rice defeated Marshall 3-0 in the opening match of the tournament, ending the Thundering Herd's season at 22-9.
Tyler Henderson finished with a match-high 26 kills for Tulsa in the loss. Jennifer Eichler recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 10 digs. Jessica Adams added 28 digs for the Golden Hurricane.
The NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball selections will be announced on Sunday Nov. 29 on ESPN News from 3-3:30 p.m. ET.
