Temple splits weekend road trip

This weekend, Temple Volleyball (12-5, 3-3 American Athletic Conference) split two games on the road. The Owls fell to Wichita State (11-5, 5-1 AAC) 3-0 Friday but bounced back to beat UTSA (8-10, 1-6 American Athletic Conference) 3-2 Sunday.

Temple remains in the middle of the conference standings, sitting at eighth in the AAC in overall record.

TEMPLE VS. WICHITA STATE

KEY MOMENTS

• After Wichita State took a 23-11 lead at the end of the first set, outside hitter Barbaera Koehler completed back-to-back service aces to end the first set, winning 25-11. The Owls could not stop the Shockers from finding the floor.
• The Owls subbed in outside hitter Taylor Davenport, who assisted on a block that fired up the Temple bench early in the second set. Wichita State responded quickly with a 5-1 run to make the score 11-5 and stalled Temple’s momentum. 
• A kill from Wichita State opposite hitter Sophia Rohling late in the second set sparked a 4-0 run. The Shockers rode the momentum to a win, this time at 25-13, and took a commanding 2-0 lead. 
• Wichita State took the lead midway through the third set with a 7-0 run to make the score 16-8. The Shockers found the floor easily on multiple kills that got through the Owls’ front line.
• Wichita State outside hitter Emerson Wilford had the final kill of the match to end Temple’s comeback hopes. The Shockers won set three 25-18 and the match 3-0.

THE NUMBERS

• Temple hit 0.096 percent through the entire match, struggling to find an offensive rhythm. 
• Temple’s defense gave up 39 kills to Wichita State. Rohling led the match with 15 kills, while outside hitter Olivia Vance led Temple with 12 kills.
• Temple’s back row continued to struggle, having only 27 digs compared to 44 digs by Wichita State.

TEMPLE VS. UTSA 

KEY PLAYS

• Temple went on a 7-1 run in the first set to take a 12-6 lead. UTSA went on an 8-0 run in response, stealing a 14-12 lead and forcing the Owls to take a timeout. 
• The Owls and Roadrunners were tied five times at the end of the first set, until the Owls managed to get a two-point lead, winning the first set 25-23. 
• After the score was tied eight times in the second set, UTSA went on a 10-1 run, which gave the team enough momentum to finish the second set 25-18. 
• Temple went on a 12-1 run in the third set, consisting of four kills and one ace from right-side hitter Avery Luoma. This run put the score at 21-14, giving the Owls their first lead of the set. 
• The last 12 points in the third set were kills: seven from UTSA and five from Temple. A final kill by outside hitter Caroline ​​Krueger led UTSA to the third set victory 30-28. 
• The Owls went on a 5-0 run, leading them to win the fourth set 26-24.
• Temple went on a 7-0 run in the fifth set, putting the score at 9-3. UTSA could not answer back, and Temple won 15-6 and the game 3-2. 

THE NUMBERS

• Temple had 70 kills, hitting at .249 percent, compared to UTSA’s 54 kills, hitting .152 percent. 
• Davenport led her team in kills with 23. Vance followed with 17 and Luoma had 15. 
• Middle blocker Chelci Banks had eight of Temple’s 16 blocks, adding to her big weekend following her five-block performance Friday. 
• Libero Aliah Giroux had 20 of UTSA’s 75 digs. Temple was just ahead of UTSA with 76 digs. 

ON TAP

Temple will be back in McGonigle Hall Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. to face East Carolina (14-4, 5-2 American Athletic Conference).