Volleyball Routs Texas A&M-Commerce

HOUSTON – The University of Houston Cougars used one of the hottest starts in program history with a 25-5 first set win to clinch a sweep of Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday evening at Fertitta Center.

The Cougars' (4-4) opening frame dominance, resulting in a 25-5 set win, marked the fewest points allowed by Houston in a non-fifth set since the team ceded four to Alcorn State in the first set of a Cougar sweep on Sept. 18, 2009. Houston hit .462 in the set, committing only one attack error while also clinching a perfect sideout percentage and limiting the Lions (2-8) to a -.158 hitting efficiency.

Houston was led on offense by a career night from junior Avery Shimaitis. The outside hitter finished with a 13-1-17 line, hitting .706 to set a new team high. It marked her second career double-digit kill night, both with the Cougars. Graduate outside hitter Angela Grieve and senior Katie Corelli also reached double-digit kills, recording 11 and 10, respectively.

Redshirt sophomore Ella Wendel recorded a career-high five blocks while Grieve and freshman outside hitter Lily Barron tied for the team lead with four service aces each.

Houston was nearly untouchable in the first set. The Cougars started off with a 6-0 run before extending their lead to 13-1 before the Lions secured their second point. After a 4-2 stretch that pushed the score to 17-4, Houston rattled off another 7-0 run, ultimately clinching a 25-5 set win.

Barron recorded all four of her service aces in the frame while five Cougar hitters tallied multiple kills.

The Lions secured a 4-2 lead early in the second set, but Houston posted a 9-1 run to reclaim the advantage, 11-5. After trading points to 16-12, Houston extended its edge with a 7-0 run that helped clinch the set for the Cougars, 25-14.

Grieve tallied six kills in the second and redshirt senior Rebecca Rocassin tallied nine assists to lead the Cougar attack in the frame.

A&M-Commerce pushed back in the third. In a set that featured 12 ties and seven lead changes, the Lions led as late as 19-17, but a 3-0 run helped put the Cougars in front for good, securing a 25-22 set win.

NOTABLES
·       In addition to hitting .374 as a team, Houston's hitters were exceptional at beating the Lions' defense, limiting A&M-Commerce to just one block.
·       Houston posted 10 service aces, the team's most since also tallying 10 at South Florida on Nov. 23, 2022.
·       With a pair of aces in tonight's match, graduate Annie Cooke brought her career total to 123 and claimed sole control of third on the program's all-time service aces list, surpassing Karen Bell's (1988-91) 122.
·       Houston is 85-7 under Head Coach David Rehr when holding a team to a sub-.200 hitting percentage and held a team to a sub-.100 hitting percentage for the 15^th time with Rehr at the helm of the program.
·       The Cougars are 27-1 when hitting over .300 as a team under the coaching of Rehr.
·       Rehr collected his 648^th career win.
·       Georgiades has tallied 10-or-more digs in each match this season and has a streak of 12 consecutive double-digit performances dating back to Nov. 22, 2023.

UP NEXT
Houston continues the Cougar Challenge at 7 p.m., Friday, with a tilt against Ole Miss before closing out non-conference play at 5 p.m., Saturday, against Tennessee State.

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– UHCougars.com –

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Avery Shimaitis

Angela Grieve

Katie Corelli

Lily Barron

Players Mentioned

Lily Barron

Annie Cooke

Katie Corelli

Angela Grieve

Rebecca Rocassin

Avery Shimaitis

Ella Wendel

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