HOUSTON -- Wichita State dropped their second heartbreaking five-setter of the season to Rice on Friday night, falling 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 25-22, 14-16 at Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Shockers (14-11, 9-4) had a chance to steal the match late, leading 13-12 deep in the fifth set. Rice setter Savannah Skopal came up with consecutive kills to flip the margin; an termination briefly kept the Shockers alive at 14-all, but two more putaways from Katrina Jensen and Loola Ford secured the win for the Owls (16-6, 11-2).
It was a match in which neither team could seize a strangehold, featuring 38 ties and 14 lead changes.