TCU
New Mexico
Frogs sweep away Lobos
10/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 13, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU volleyball team used an outstanding offensive performance to sweep New Mexico Friday night at the University Rec Center. The Frogs hit .371 as a team in the three game set, winning 3-0 (30-23, 30-21, 30-27) to improve to 4-4 in Mountain West play. For the fourth consecutive game, LeMeita Smith led the offensive charge as she totaled 11 kills. Lauren Otto recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 10 digs.A back-and-forth affair greeted both teams as neither team could get more than a point advantage. With the scored knotted at 11, Katelyn Blackwood served the Frogs to a 13-11 lead behind a Lobo error and a kill from Otto. The Frogs would never trail from that point as they continued to build on their lead.
The Frogs opened up a five-point advantage on a Nirelle Hampton service ace. Emily Allen served the Frogs to the game one victory as TCU closed it out on a 4-0 run to win, 30-23. Despite tallying more kills (16) than the Frogs (14) in the set, the Lobos committed 16 errors, including six service errors, in game one.
A 3-0 run behind the serving of Otto got game two off to a running start. The Lobos would battle back to tie the game at three, but TCU went on a 7-3 run capped by a Hampton blast to take a 10-6 lead.
Another 5-0 run pushed the Frog advantage to 16-10, forcing a New Mexico timeout. Smith got rolling after the timeout and put down four kills in the final 14 points for the Frogs as they ran away with the 30-21 victory.
Game three was a different affair for the Frogs as they found themselves trailing for a majority of the game. The Lobos raced out to a 20-13 lead before the Frogs began to mount their comeback.
The teams traded points before the Frogs got on a role. Behind the serving of Allen, Vaughn put down two powerful kills to make it a 23-19 contest. The Lobos would answer with a Jeanne Fairchild kill, but TCU had an answer with Otto's strong serving. A kill by Smith followed by a Vaughn blast pulled the Frogs within one, 24-23, forcing New Mexico to call a timeout.
Out of the break, the Lobos Allison Suiter gave New Mexico a two-point lead with a cross-court kill, but a Fairchild service error gave the point right back to the Frogs. Smith completed the comeback as she slammed the ball to the court to tie the game at 25 and the Frogs cruised from there, claiming the 30-27 victory.
Vaughn finished the night with nine kills on 13 attempts with no errors. Hampton tallied 33 assists and three aces.
The Frogs (15-6, 4-4) will return to the court Saturday afternoon in a non-conference affair when they host UT-Pan American at 3 p.m.
