Wichita State volleyball and women’s basketball teams score win at Koch Arena on same day
It was a good day for women’s sports at Koch Arena on Friday, as the volleyball team advanced in postseason play in the afternoon and the women’s basketball team scored its best win of the season at night.
The day began with the Shocker volleyball team punching its ticket to the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, courtesy of a four-set win over American Athletic Conference foe Tulsa, 25-12, 15-25, 25-16, 25-21.
Sophia Rohling led the way with 15 kills, while WSU delivered a standout defensive performance to hold Tulsa (18-15) to a .124 hitting percentage for the match. The trio of Katie Galligan, Izzi Strand and Gabi Maas combined for 54 digs.
WSU improved to 23-8 this season and will host Drake at Koch Arena in the NIVC quarterfinals at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6.
Later Friday evening, the WSU women’s basketball team bounced back from a dud of a performance earlier in the week in a 64-36 loss to Southeastern Louisiana with arguably its best performance of the season against a Saint Louis squad expected to contend for the Atlantic-10 championship this season.
Despite being down two starters, WSU had four players finish in double-digit scoring in Wichita native Tre’Zure Jobe, who scored a Division I career-high 24 points, freshman Salese Blow (17), Daniela Abies (14) and Ornella Niankan (12).
WSU did not have senior guard D.J. McCarty or sophomore forward Jayla Murray for Friday’s game.
In her first start of the season, senior guard Jeniah Thompson finished with a career-high 15 rebounds and five assists. WSU also won the rebounding battle, 53-37, to improve to 4-4 this season. Saint Louis dropped to 4-4 with the loss.
“We wanted to get back to our identity, which has been a great defensive team that’s disruptive and plays hard,” WSU first-year coach Terry Nooner told GoShockers.com. “We scrapped and fought and we’re excited about the win. We’re excited about the rebounding and Tre’Zure and Jeniah were special tonight.”
The WSU women’s basketball team will continue its four-game stretch at Koch Arena with a 6 p.m. game on Monday, Dec. 4 against Houston Christian.
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