TCU
Illinois (Hurricane Frances Classic)
Horned Frogs Suffer Second Loss in Two Days
9/4/2004 12:00:00 AM
Sept. 4, 2004
OXFORD, Ohio - Against one of the highest-ranked teams the volleyball Horned Frogs will face this year, TCU played up to their competition and forced a fourth game. No. 19 Illinois marked the highest ranked team the Frogs have ever won a game against, a 30-27 decision in the second. Despite the strong effort, the Fighting Illini came out the victors with the scores 26-30, 30-27, 21-30, 20-30.
Freshman LeMeita Smith came off the bench to fake out a lot of defenders at the net, allowing senior Dominika Szabo to nail several kills in the first game; freshman Loren Barry set up the offense with well-placed serves. Senior Ellen Rehme led offensively with 14 kills, while freshman Talaya Whitfield again tallied a 20+ dig match, collecting 25 scoops.
"Talaya had another phenomenal defensive day," Head Coach Prentice Lewis lauded after the match.
The Frogs never led in the first game, always playing a game of catch-up with the Fighting Illini. Early on, sophomore Anna Vaughn returned two overpasses for block/kills to bring the Frogs to a tie of at 4-all and a block error by the Illini evened it again at 6-all. However, Illinois began to run away with the first game before the Frogs got tough, with freshman Talaya Whitfield playing stubborn floor defense as she saved the Frogs of many potential kills from the Blue and Orange; officially, she scooped up six balls in game one. However, the Illinoian offense outperformed TCU, winning the game with a final kill from Illini outside hitter Rachel VanMeter.
Each point in the second game was tightly contested and the Frogs led for the first time of the match; they led for the entire match, playing great volleyball while the Illini time after time fumbled their possessions. Illinois began the game with two consecutive attack errors, never to catch TCU. Vaughn's first kill of the second game ended the match at 30-27, leaving the contest tied at one game apiece.
The third game showed promise of being a duplicate of the second, with the two teams switching off on scores, until the Illini began pulling away. They were momentarily screeched to a halt in their procession, however, when sophomore Erin Estep and Szabo combined for a double-block off Jessica Belter's attack. Illinois recovered, however, and defeated the Frogs in the third 30-21.
Game four was a tough one for the Frogs as Illinois pulled ahead early. TCU showed a true team effort, with junior transfer Agi Nemeth and freshman Brandy Gore contributing noticeably off the bench. Struggling to hold on as Illinois crept steadily away, Coach Lewis called a timeout at 19-27; however, the Blue and Orange proved too much for the Purple and White, despite a surge back at 20-29. Jessica Belter ended the match with a decisive kill, 30-20.
"We made the best out of really tough situations, from travel plans to opponents," Coach Lewis commented. "It is disappointing to lost both matches, but they both could have gone either way. It's good for this young team to be in these tough positions as we prepare for conference season."
"Talaya had another phenomenal defensive day," Head Coach Prentice Lewis commented.
The Horned Frogs will travel to Boston next weekend to take part in the New England Challenge, featuring Boston College, Harvard, Northeastern, and Saint Peter's. The first match will be on the BC campus at 1 p.m. on Fri., Sept. 10. All matches can again be tracked through each game on www.gofrogs.com.
-www.gofrogs.com-
