University of North Texas
Wichita State
Volleyball Closes Home Schedule Versus Wichita State, Rice
11/14/2024 4:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
DENTON, Texas – Mean Green volleyball will finish its regular season with a two-match weekend at the UNT Volleyball Center against American Athletic Conference opponents Wichita State on Friday at 5 p.m. before hosting Rice on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.
UNT (8-17, 5-9) enters the weekend in a three-way tie for ninth place in the conference ahead of the AAC Championship that will host a field of the top eight teams in the league. Along with three other teams, the Shockers (15-11, 10-4) and the Owls (17-6, 12-2) have each secured its respective bids to the tournament.
Due to tie-breaker scenarios, the Mean Green must win both matches for a chance at a top eight finish and berth to The American Championship.
In its last meeting against Wichita State on Nov. 4, 2023, UNT collected its 15th reverse sweep in program history and second against the Shockers after first accomplishing the feat on Sept. 5, 2014. In last year's comeback victory, Aryn Johnson tallied an 11 kill, 10 dig double-double and added a season-high mark of six blocks.
The Mean Green have not hosted the Shockers since Nov. 20, 2018, in a second-round meeting of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) in which UNT prevailed 3-1. UNT trails the all-time series 4-12 with a 1-2 mark at home.
Sunday's match marks the first home meeting since the Mean Green dispatched the Owls in back-to-back home matches on Nov. 10-11, 2023. Both matches finished in five sets as Johnson led UNT in kills and points in both contests. Before last season, the Mean Green had never swept Rice in a season series.
UNT trails the all-time series versus Rice 8-20 after a three-set road loss on Oct. 11.
