Box Score DALLAS (SMU) – Seniors Lauren Mills and Katie Hegarty, and freshman Meryn Kennedy, each scored a team-high nine kills, but it wasn't enough as the SMU volleyball team lost to Rice, 2-1 (18-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-19), in its second match of the day Friday.

Rice (1-1) secured the win with a 25-19 win in the fourth set after holding off a late charge by the Mustangs (0-2). Trailing 21-10, SMU scored nine of the next 11 points, picking up three kills and two service aces during the rally. The run cut the lead to four, 23-19, but the Owls scored the next two points to end the match.

Mills was one kill shy of her second double-double of the day, scoring nine kills with a match-high 20 digs. Freshman Julia DiBona had 12 digs and just one serve receive error in her first appearance at the libero position. Brittany Adams scored eight kills, and Kelly Brunstein added seven for SMU. Rice hit .220, while SMU managed just a .134 attack percentage. Kendall Patterson had 44 assists and eight digs.

With the score tied 10-10 in the first set, SMU went on a 5-1 run, taking a four point lead, 15-11. The mid-set advantage was enough to keep the Mustangs in front the remainder of the first set, taking a 1-0 lead with a 25-18 win. The Mustangs took a 7-2 to start the set, but the Owls rallied to tie the score, 7-8, and kept it close until SMU created the mid-set gap. Brunstein and Adams each scored four kills to lead SMU, which finished with 17 kills.

The Owls tied the match, 1-1, with a 25-21 win in the second set. SMU trailed 23-17, and went on a 4-1 run to get within three before Nicole Lennon scored a kill on Rice's second attempt at set point. The Owls took a 9-3 lead to start the set. The Mustangs cut the lead to one, 9-8, but were never able to tie the score. SMU held Rice to a .182 attack percentage, but the Mustangs hit just .119 with 10 kills.

Rice took a 2-1 lead, edging out SMU 26-24 in the third set. SMU led 22-18, but the Owls scored the next three points, using a 5-1 run to tie the score, 23-23. SMU scored the next point on a kill by Mills, but a kill and a block for Rice gave the Owls the next chance for set point. A kill made it three straight points to end the set. Mills and Hegarty each led SMU with three kills, while Meryn Kennedy scored two kills, and Lexi Nordmann got the first two kills of her collegiate career.

The Mustangs conclude the SMU DoubleTree Invitational Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Rice plays Mississippi State at 12 p.m.