TCU
San Diego State
Frogs win thriller, top San Diego State 3-2
10/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 13, 2007
FORT WORTH, Texas - In front of a record crowd of 980, the TCU Horned Frogs battled to a 3-2 (30-28, 30-18, 26-30, 26-30, 15-12) victory over San Diego State Saturday night. The Frogs used a big blocking game to defeat the Aztecs, led by Kourtney Edwards' nine. Edwards and LeMeita Smith each racked up 16 kills in the win.In the exciting game five, the Frogs found their rhythm and pulled out the 15-12 win. Nirelle Hampton served the Frogs to a 5-2 lead capped by a solo block from Loren Barry. Edwards gave the Frogs a three-point lead, 8-5 with a kill down the middle to keep the Frog momentum going.
San Diego State battled back to tie the game at 10, but an Aime Cordeiro service error gave the Frogs a lead they would never relinquish. Smith made it a two-point lead and Hampton pushed it to three with her lone ace of the match. Hester sealed the win with her 12 kill of the match.
The Aztecs gained the early advantage in game one, but the Frogs hung in and battled back to tie the game at 10 on a kill from Nirelle Hampton. TCU pushed its lead out to three, 17-14 on a loud block in the middle from Devon Kirk and Christy Hudson.
San Diego State had a run left as they stormed back to take a 23-20 lead behind the serving of Hannah Evans. Back-to-back kills from Hester squelched the Aztec run and tied the game at 23.
The Aztecs broke the tie on a Caitlin McMillian kill and pushed their lead back to three, 27-24. A furious rally by the Frogs eventually saw the set tie at 28 on a solo denial from LeMeita Smith. She finished the game with a loud kill off the defender to give TCU the 30-28 game one victory.
TCU battled through nine ties and three lead changes early in game two. Trailing 14-12, the Frogs stormed back to tie the game and eventually took the lead, 17-16 on an attack error by Kelsey Manasco.
With the lead at just one, 18-17, Irene Hester stepped to the service line and found her rhythm, serving the Frogs to a double-digit lead, 27-17. Kills from Edwards, Nirelle Hampton and Smith aided the run as did two blocks on the outside from the trio of Edwards, Hampton and Smith. Smith gave the Frogs the 2-0 lead with a loud kill on the outside for the 30-18 win.
The Aztecs came out firing in game three as they jumped out to a big lead. TCU recovered behind the serving of Katelyn Blackwood as she served the Frogs to a 9-9 tie.
From there the match evened out as the teams battled to a 24-24 tie. Kristen Castillo proved big for the Aztecs as she served them to a 28-25 lead. The Frogs wouldn't recover and San Diego State took the game, 30-26.
In game four, the Aztecs again took control of the set, storming out to a 24-12 lead. The Frogs recovered enough to build momentum for game five as they closed the gap to 28-23 behind the serving of Hampton, Barry and Hester. It wouldn't be enough as Hannah Evans closed out the game four win for the Aztecs with a kill off the block for the 30-26 win sending the match to game five.
Barry finished with a double-double as she totaled 12 assists and 12 digs in the match. Calli Corley led the Frogs defensively with 27 digs.
The Frogs improve to 17-7 overall and 4-4 in conference play. They return to action Thursday night when they travel to Air Force. Match time is slated for 8 p.m.
