MATCH STATS
- #24 Wichita State def. Temple, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-23)
- Wichita State improves to 22-3, 14-0 AAC; Temple falls to 14-8, 10-4 AAC
- Wichita, Kansas
- Attendance: 2254
- Box score
WICHITA, Kan. – It wasn’t pretty, but the Shockers continued to assert their will on the rest of the AAC with a sweep of visiting Temple Sunday afternoon, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-23) to stay undefeated in conference play. It was the first time Temple was swept in conference play in over a year (October 14, 2016).
The Shockers were led offensively by Abbie Lehman, who pounded 15 kills without a hitting error to finish with a .577 hitting percentage. Lehman also finished with a match-high 6 blocks. Mikaela Raudsepp was the only other Shocker with double-digit kills, hitting 10. She also added 7 digs and 2 blocks. Setter Emily Hiebert had the team’s lone double-double, finishing with a match-high 38 assists and a team-high 12 digs. Libero Giorgia Civita also finished with a team-high 12 digs and added 5 assists to the offense.
Temple fought valiantly, but could not find the terminating kill to finish off the Shockers in sets 1 and 3. On offense, a team-high 13 kills came off the hand of Izzy Rapacz, while 10 kills came from Katerina Papazoglou. Rapacz completed her double-double with 10 digs. Setter Kyra Coundourides contributed her own double-double with 28 assists and a match-high 14 digs.
The Shockers, though, were not happy with the way they played.
“We aren’t happy with the way we played and we aren’t happy about the way it felt,” senior Raudsepp said. “When you’re playing well, you feel good and the team feels good. When you aren’t playing well, it’s like, ‘OK, let’s get this done. Let’s take care of business and get out of here.”
Coach Chris Lamb echoed that statement.
“Competitors want to play well. They obviously had a discussion—‘We’re better than this.’ I want them to focus on the little things.”
PRESS RELEASES
Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. – No. 21 Wichita State defeated Temple, 3-0, inside Charles Koch Arena to remain unbeaten in conference play heading into the final six games of the season. The Shockers won by scores of 25-22, 25-16 and 25-23.
Senior Abbie Lehman finished with 15 kills, hitting .577 along with 6 blocks. Mikaela Raudsepp collected 10 kills to go with seven digs for WSU. The Shockers had 57 digs, with four players in double figures.
Set 1:
• The teams exchanged points early until a run of kills and block assists by Tabitha Brown and Emma Wright forced a Temple timeout at 8-4
• Temple cut into the lead until a kill from Alex Koon and block assist by Abbie Lehman and Emily Hiebert pushed the lead back to 12-10
• The Owls tied the game at 14-14 and the teams exchanged points until a Wright kill and Hiebert service ace gave the Shockers a two point lead at 23-21 and forced a Temple timeout
• A long rally ending with Brown’s third kill of the night gave the Shockers a three point lead before another Brown kill won the set 25-22
Set 2:
• The Shockers used two 3-0 runs early, including kills from Raudsepp, Lehman and Koon, to force a Temple timeout at 6-1
• Temple cut into the lead until Lehman’s seventh kill of the afternoon and Brown’s fifth pushed the lead back to five at 9-4
• The Shockers pushed the lead to seven on back-to-back kills from Raudsepp before a 3-0 Owls run forced a Wichita State timeout at 14-10
• The lead stayed at four until a block assist from Raudsepp and Lehman and Lehman’s eighth kill of the day pushed the lead to six [18-12] and forced a Owls timeout
• The Owls cut into the lead on a 3-0 run before back-to-back block assists from Lehman and Hiebert stretched the lead to seven at 22-15
• Lehman’s 10th and 11th kills of the afternoon gave the Shockers set point at 24-16 before a service ace from Koon won the set
Set 3:
• Wichita State used a 4-0 run, including three Raudsepp kills, to force a Temple timeout at 8-4
• The Owls cut into the lead and kept it to at least two until a kill and block assist tied the match at 15-15
• Raudsepp’s 10th kill of the afternoon and Brown’s eighth pushed the lead back to three at 20-17
• The Owls cut the lead to one before Chase Jackson‘s second kill of the day gave the Shockers a two point cushion at 23-21 and forced a Temple timeout
• Lehman’s 14th kill of the game gave the Shockers set point before a Wright kill gave Wichita State a 25-23 victory
Courtesy of Temple Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. — The Temple volleyball team fell 3-0 on the road to #21 Wichita State on Sunday. The 25-22, 25-16, 25-23 sweep was the first the Owls have suffered in conference play since October 14, 2016. Temple falls to 14-8 overall, 10-4 in conference play, while the Shockers improve to 22-3 overall, 14-0 in the American.
KEYS TO THE MATCH
> Wichita State hit .297 to Temple’s .200 and held advantages in digs (57-45) and blocks (9-5).
> Despite Temple hitting .333 in the final frame, Wichita State finished out the sweep.
> The Owls hung tough in the first and third sets, working around a more lopsided set two.
> The bulk of Temple’s offense came from senior Izzy Rapacz and freshman Katerina Papazoglou, who combined for 23 of Temple’s 38 kills.
INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
> Rapacz finished the match with a team-best 13 kills, hitting .370, adding 10 digs for a double-double.
> Senior Kyra Coundourides also picked up a double-double with 28 assists and a team-high 14 digs.
> Papazoglou had 10 kills with a pair of blocks.
> Redshirt freshman Dana Westfield tallied six kills.
> Junior Iva Deak notched five kills and three blocks.
> Junior Mia Heirakuji and freshman Averi Salvador each tallied six digs.
SET ONE: Wichita State 25, Temple 22
> The first set featured 12 ties and a pair of lead changes.
> Temple held a 4-3 lead before Wichita State scored five-straight to go up 8-4.
> The Owls rebounded and tied the match back up at 14-14.
> The set was tied five more times, including as late as 21-21.
> Wichita State then scored three-straight to go up 24-21.
> Temple spoiled set point with a Papazoglou kill, but the Shockers got the final point to take a 1-0 lead.
SET TWO: Wichita State 25, Temple 16
> Wichita State led from start to finish in the second frame.
> The Owls hit just .032, recording eight kills and seven errors on 31 attempts.
> The Shockers opened with a 6-1 lead.
> Temple nearly came all the way back to cut it to 14-12 with a 5-0 run.
> Wichita State rebounded with an 8-3 run that put the set out of reach.
SET THREE: Wichita State 25, Temple 23
> Both teams hit .333 in the final frame, but the Shockers did just enough to take it.
> WSU went up 8-4 early on, but Temple rallied tie it at 15-15 on a block from Papazoglou and Deak.
> Wichita State scored the next two points but Temple stayed within two points the rest of the way.
> A Deak kill made it 23-22, still in favor of Wichita State.
> The Shockers had one match point spoiled but still finished out the sweep.
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