Wave Drops Home Match to Rice

Wednesday, October 15

New Orleans, LA

6:30 p.m.

Tulane University

9-9,1-6American

Rice University

10-8,6-1American

Rice

Tulane

Oct 15, 2025 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS – Tulane volleyball (9-9, 1-6) suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of the Rice Owls (10-8, 6-1) inside Avron B. Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.

The loss for the Green Wave dropped Tulane to 7-4 at home on the season including 1-4 against conference opponents. Meanwhile, the Rice earned its sixth consecutive victory to improve to 4-2 on the road this season with all four victories coming in league play.

Avery Burks led the Wave's offensive attack on Wednesday night as she tallied 16 kills to go with 10 digs. Her performance marked the 16th time this season she has recorded double digits kills in a match and her 11th double-double of the year. Zoe Rachow set the table for Burks and the Tulane offense against the Owls as she finished with 26 assists.

Defensively, Dayla Ortiz and Ashley Sturzoiu joined Burks with double figures in digs. Ortiz led the team with 18 to go with a pair of service aces while Sturzoiu added 11 digs, two kills, and a service ace. Sabrina Skyers anchored the Tulane defense at the net as she recorded five total blocks to go with her four kills.

The first set between the Wave and the Owls was a back-and-forth affair early as the two teams met in a tie six times before either could pull away. It was Rice that managed to make the push to take an advantage in the set scoring three-straight points to take a 15-12 lead. Tulane pulled back within one point on multiple occasions down the stretch of the set but was unable to claim a lead falling 21-25.

After Rice claimed the early advantage in the second set, the Green Wave battled with a 6-2 scoring run to take a 9-8 lead. Tulane briefly pushed its advantage to 15-12 before the Owls mounted an answer with a 9-1 run to put the Wave behind 16-21. The Wave was unable to regain the lead going on to drop the second set 23-25.

Tulane made a strong effort to flip the momentum opening the third set with a Burks kill and a service ace by Rachow. The Green Wave and the Owls went on to trade points until Rice eventually pulled in front for good at 12-11. Tulane ultimately went on to lose the set 16-25 and drop the match 0-3.

UP NEXT
The Wave will hit the road to Birmingham, Alabama, to take on UAB on Friday, October 17. The match between the Green Wave and the Blazers is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

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