SAN ANTONIO — UTSA will head to Houston on Thursday to square off with Rice in a 4 p.m. match at Tudor Fieldhouse.
In its final road contest of a three-match road swing, the Roadrunners (13-6, 4-1 C-USA) head into the matchup with the second-best hitting percentage in the circuit with a .254 clip while holding opponents to a .160 attack percentage, which ranks second in Conference USA and 29th in the NCAA.
UTSA has won four of its last five contests, dropping a four-set decision at then-No. 23 West Kentucky. Led by Dajana Boskovic’s 4.09 kills per set, the Roadrunners are averaging 12.94 per frame, which ranks sixth in C-USA, and that figure is helped by Jessica Waldrip (7.59 assists per set) and Amanda Gonzales (7.38 aps).
The league office recognized Gonzales’ efforts on the court last week, as she was named C-USA Freshman of the Week on Monday. She averaged 8.14 assists per set and picked up her fourth double-double of the season with 37 assists and 12 digs against the Lady Hilltoppers.
Thursday’s contest will be the rescheduled matchup from earlier in the season.
Rice (13-6, 3-2 C-USA) has won three of its last five matches and is coming off a five-set loss to Middle Tennessee. The Owls hold the third-best hitting percentage in the conference (.253) and are second in the circuit in kills (14.18) and assists (13.41) per set.
Portia Okafor and Leah Mikesky lead Rice’s offense that ranks in the top 25 in the country. Okafor is hitting a team-best .350 with 138 kills and a league-leading 90 blocks (17th NCAA). Meanwhile, Mikesky is contributing 3.54 winners per set and is third on the squad with 196 digs.
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