Houston volleyball stuck in second worst losing streak in Power Four

Houston volleyball holds the second-longest losing streak among Power Four teams, dropping 10 straight matches.

The only team with a worse skid is the SEC’s Arkansas, which has lost 12 consecutive matches.

During Houston’s stretch, the Cougars have managed to win just eight sets, and in its most recent match against UCF, the team lost 25-13, 25-18 and 25-22, its fifth time getting swept during the period.

On Sept. 27, the Cougars recorded their lone and last conference win against Texas Tech, which has just two Big 12 victories in conference play.

Despite the struggles, the Cougars boast two of the conference’s top blockers: redshirt senior Kellen Morin and senior Barakat Rahmon, who rank fourth and sixth in the Big 12, respectively. Rahmon also holds the second-best hitting percentage in the league at .364.

Morin, who suffered an ACL injury in the spring of 2024, has missed the past two matches, and the Cougars, who rank second in the Big 12 in blocks as a collective, won the block battle in only one of those matches, with senior Aiden Conner getting her first two starts in Houston.

Senior Alana Torres-Rivera, in her first season as Houston’s starting libero, ranks seventh in the Big 12 with 3.76 digs per set. Still, the Cougars rank ninth in the conference in total digs and have recorded the fewest service aces, with their top server, senior setter Lottie Scully, appearing in just one set against UCF.

During many off days this season, Scully has appeared in a walking boot, which coach Daid Rehr calls a precautionary measure. 

The Cougars play Iowa State on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m.