With its 6-0 start in American Athletic Conference play, Houston is off to its best start in league action since 2000, when the Cougars began Conference USA action 8-0.
Houston is no stranger when it comes to going the distance, as the Cougars are just one of a handful of teams in the country to have competed in nine five-set contests. Overall, Houston is 6-3 in such matchups, five of which came in five-straight matches.
The Cougars are the only school in the conference to have more than one player win a Player of the Week honor, having already won three. This is the first time Houston has had three different players earn a conference Player of the Week ( Abbie Jackson , OPOW-9/9; Katie Karbo , DPOW-9/23; Megan Duncan , OPOW-9/30) honor since 2006.
As one of the best liberos to come through the Houston program, Karbo continues to the climb the charts in the record book. Karbo enters the weekend leading the nation with 471 digs on the year, and leads all Division I active players with her 2,190 career digs, which ranks second in program history.
Junior setter Abby Irvine leads the Houston’s balanced attacked, as her 13 double-doubles on the year are tied for most in The American. The Cougars are 9-4 on the when she posts a double-double.
The University of Houston Volleyball team extended its season-high winning streak to eight after the Cougars took down ECU in comeback fashion by a score of 3-2 (21-25, 25-19, 20-25, 29-27, 16-14) on Friday night inside the Fertitta Center.
With the win, the Cougars (13-9, 7-0 American) continue their undefeated run in the American Athletic Conference, as Houston’s 7-0 mark in conference action is its best start since 2000 when the team began Conference USA play 8-0. Friday night’s victory over the Pirates (14-6, 2-5 American) is also Houston’s seventh five-set win of the season. The Cougars are 7-3 in five-set contests this year.
On the night, senior outside hitter Megan Duncan led the way for the Cougars posting a team-best 19 kills in the match. She was joined by sophomore middleblocker/right side hitter Kendall Haywood as those to surpass the double-digit kill mark. Haywood’s 17 kills ties a career-high.
Junior setter Abby Irvine commanded the Houston offense with her career-high 55 assists. It’s the second time this season she has eclipsed the 50-assist plateau. She added 16 digs to notch her conference leading 14th double-double of the season.
Houston’s defense was anchored in the back row by senior libero Katie Karbo, who’s 19 digs led all players. Freshman outsider hitter Abbie Jackson (13), along with freshmand defensive specialist Karly Berkland (14), rounded out the Houston players with 10-plus digs.