TCU
Elon
Frogs open tournament with sweep of Elon
9/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2006
BURLINGTON, N.C. - The TCU Horned Frogs opened the Elon Volleyball Classic with a 3-0 win over the host school, Elon on Friday night. The match was a lot closer than the scores would indicate (30-25, 30-23, 30-17) as the Phoenix played the Frogs tough. The Frogs posted a season-high .339 hitting percentage in the match, led by Anna Vaughn's 15 kill performance. Defensively, LeMeita Smith contributed three blocks, while Calli Corley pitched in a match-high nine digs.A back-and-forth match in game one greeted the Frogs as each team battled, never able to get more than a three-point lead. A Corley ace knotted the game at 11 and a Vaughn kill gave TCU a 15-12 lead, forcing an Elon timeout. The Phoenix fought back, tying the game at 18, but a Smith kill ended the Elon rally as she picked up two straight kills to give the Frogs a 20-18 lead. Always one to get the Frogs on a roll, Loren Barry drilled her only ace of the match to give TCU a 22-20 lead and served the Frogs to a 24-21 lead. Smith dropped in her fifth kill of the match to give the Frogs the 30-25 victory.
Vaughn was the hitting star in game one as she tallied six kills, while Barry was the defensive force on the floor with five digs in the victory.
The Frogs jumped out to an early lead in game two only to see the Phoenix battle back to take a 10-6 lead behind the serving of Jessica Barrow. Nirelle Hampton put an end to the Elon rally as she dunked the ball over the net to pull the Frogs within three at 10-7. A triple block by the Frogs and back-to-back kills by Emily Allen knotted the game at 10. Katelyn Blackwood gave the Frogs the 11-10 lead with her first career ace.
The Frogs and the Phoenix went toe-to-toe for the rest of the game as the neither team could get the commanding lead until TCU pulled out to a 29-23 lead behind a strong serving effort by Allen. Vaughn gave the Frogs the game two victory with her 13th kill of the match.
It was another see-saw battle early in game three. The Frogs took a 6-5 lead on a Smith blast from the outside, but TCU couldn't push the lead to more than two points. With the game tied at 10, the Frogs began to pull away on two consecutive kills by Smith and a perfectly placed dunk by Hampton as they took the 13-10 lead, forcing Elon to take a timeout.
The Frogs continued to play well as a Smith and Gabi McHugh block gave the Frogs a commanding 20-13 lead. Behind the serving of Hampton, the Frogs lead grew to nine at 23-14. McHugh slammed the ball down the middle of the court to bring the Frogs to match point and an attack error by the Phoenix ended the match as the Frogs took game three, 30-17.
The Frogs improve to 5-1 on the season with the victory. They will play two on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. (CST) against Navy. They will round out tournament play with a 3:30 p.m. match-up against former C-USA foe, UAB.
