TCU
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Volleyball Sweeps Islanders, 3-0
9/28/2002 12:00:00 AM
Sept. 28, 2002
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - TCU Volleyball (8-8) evened its record as the team topped Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (5-12) by a 3-0 score on Saturday. Only the 1997 and 2000 Frog squads have had better records through 16 matches.
Game one was a back and forth battle until the Frogs took the lead for good at 9-8 on a kill by senior Jenn Cuca. They were able to stretch the lead to as many as seven (18-11), but the Islanders cut it back to three several times late in the first round. TCU capitalized on kills from Cuca and fellow senior Stephanie Watson to win, 30-26.
The second round was all TCU, as the Frogs made short work of the Islanders in the 30-14 victory. TCU never let TAMU-Corpus Christi any closer than five points, and combined with a kill by Watson and three straight by Cuca helped seal the deal for the Frogs. The 14 points allowed by the Frogs is the second fewest in 2002 (fewest: 12 by Belmont, Arkansas State).
The third game looked as if it would be the Frogs' from the beginning, but the Islanders fought back to stay within three points late. TCU took the three-game victory with a 30-26 win in the third stanza.
"Tonight we came ready to play," said head coach Prentice Lewis. "Jackie (Choi) did a great job setting in games two and three. Jenn Cuca shined again tonight. Hitting a .292, she is proving she needs to be in the hitting lineup. This was good preparation for conference play. Playing on Friday, traveling, and playing on Saturday gets us ready to start conference."
Sophomore Dominika Szabo led the Frogs with 11 kills on 26 attempts and eight digs. Freshman Jackie Choi, playing before her hometown crowd, posted 21 assists to lead the team for the first time this season in that category. She along with Cuca each tallied two service aces. Freshman Erin Estep again led TCU in blocks with five for the night.
The Frogs are next at home Oct. 4 and 5 when they open Conference USA play versus Southern Miss and Tulane. Both of those matches will take place at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum beginning at 7:00 p.m.
