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The Cougars dropped their first home match of the season in a showdown with Conference USA leader Tulane, dropping a close 3-2 match (21-25, 25-20, 25-19, 22-25, and 9-15) to the Green Wave at the Athletics/Alumni Center on Sunday.
After dropping the first set, the Cougars (14-10, 6-5 C-USA) erupted on an 8-1 run to go up 15-10 and win the second set 25-20. The Cougars continued to shine in the third set, going up 23-17 late in the match and eventually winning to achieve a 2-1 lead.
Houston head coach Bill Walton said the Cougars looked to close out the match in the fourth set against the Green Wave, (18-5, 9-1 C-USA) who have not won at Houston since 2004.
"It was a tie game all the way, and it was just a matter of whoever made a mistake first, and then we hit a ball out of bounds and that was the game," Walton said.
Houston dropped the fourth set, sending the match into a deciding fifth set. The Cougars struggled and never led, going down 8-1 at one point. Tulane dominated the final set to win 15-9. Tulane head coach Liz Kritza improved her career record against the Cougars to 3-6 with the victory.
"That fifth set for us is what I had been looking for from the team from the get go…I was proud they turned it around and started playing an organized set for us," Kritza said.
Houston senior outside hitter Justine Farmer got her eighth double-double of the season with 20 kills and 17 digs to lead Houston. Sophomore middle blocker Lucy Charuk chipped in with 17 kills.
Tulane senior outside hitter Sara Radosevic also recorded a double-double with14 kills and 14 digs, and junior outside Ksenija Vlaskovic paced the Green Wave with 18 kills en route to victory.
The Cougars wore pink jerseys in Sunday’s match, which was Breast Cancer Awareness day at the Athletics/Alumni Center. Pink ribbons were made available to fans at the game.
"We were real excited to support (breast cancer awareness), and it was fun wearing pink," Farmer said.
The game will be aired on tape delay on CBS College Sports at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The Cougars started the weekend with a 3-1 win (25-14, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20) in Friday’s home game against C-USA opponent Texas-El Paso (6-18, 2-7 C-USA).
Houston won the first set led by freshman outside hitter Ingrida Zauere, who slammed six of Houston’s seven kills in the set. UTEP bounced back to win the second set after being down 20-19 late.
Charuk added six kills in the third set to give the Cougars a win and a match lead going into the fourth set. An 8-3 run closed out the set and match as the Cougars notched their sixth conference win this season.
"It feels really good to win against them. It’s where I’m from, and I’ve played club volleyball against all those girls, so it feels good, especially after losing at their house," Farmer, who is from El Paso, said.
Zauere led the Cougars with 18 kills and 12 digs against the Miners.
"I love when other people do well and it’s not just everything on me," Farmer said.
Senior setter Kelsey King added 48 assists and Farmer chipped in with 10 kills and nine digs.
UTEP junior outside hitter Amy Sanders totaled 18 kills and six digs and sophomore setter Patty Jarmoc had 33 assists to pace the Miners.
Houston will be back on the road when they travel to face Southern Methodist on Friday and Tulsa on Saturday. The Cougars defeated both teams earlier in the year at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
