TCU
San Diego State*
Frogs Falter in Front of Record Crowd
10/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 23, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU Horned Frogs fell in a hard-fought match, 3-1 (17-25, 12-25, 25-22, 24-26), to San Diego State Thursday night in front of a school-record 1,036 fans. TCU's bid for a come-back victory came up short in the fourth set as the Aztecs evened the season series at a game apiece. Nirelle Hampton notched her seventh double-double of the season with 35 assists and 13 digs.The Frogs took the early lead in the first set and looked to be in control with a 10-7 lead. Kills from Irene Hester and Christy Hudson had the Frogs cruising early, but a kill from Lauren Van Orden halted the Frogs momentum and propelled the Aztecs into an 8-2 run that turned the Frog lead into a deficit.
A kill from Kourtney Edwards pulled the Frogs back within two, 15-13, but again, the Aztecs had an answer. They went on another 9-2 run to set up game point. Devon Kirk tried to stave off the early match deficit with an ace but Van Orden ended the set with her fifth kill of the set.
San Diego State took a firm grasp on the match with a dominating set two performance. The Aztecs raced out to a 17-6 lead and never looked back as they took a 2-0 match lead with a 25-12 set two win.
Out of the intermission, the Frogs came ready to play as they tried to climb back into the match. A better hitting effort from Frog attackers saw them pile up 17 kills and hit .286. Lauren Otto got the Frogs rolling with a loud blast in the middle. Christy Hudson and Kourtney Edwards teamed up on a denial on the outside to give the Frogs an early 5-3 lead.
Katelyn Blackwood, the Frogs most effective server on the night, helped push the lead out to four at 12-8. Hampton kept it going as she extended the Frog lead to six, 15-9, with help from a kill by Hudson and back-to-back hitting errors by the Aztecs.
San Diego State tried to attempt a comeback, pulling within one, 23-22, but a kill from Devon Kirk set up game point and an attack error by the Aztecs locked up the 25-22 set three win for TCU.
The Frogs tried to carry the momentum into the fourth set as they made a bid to send the game the distance. Things looked good early as the Frogs jumped out to an early 6-3 lead thanks to some strong serving by Hampton. Victoria Hernandez dropped in an ace to keep the three point lead.
Despite the Aztecs fighting back to tie the game at 12, the Frogs were able once again to regain the lead on an ace serve from Hampton. The Aztecs, however, would battle back and take a 19-16 lead.
TCU showed fight as it fought back to eventually tie the game at 24 on an attack error by Stephanie Darnall, but it wasn't enough as the Aztecs eventually claimed the 26-24 victory on a Frog error to end the match.
Otto led the Frog attack with 14 kills, while Blackwood paced the defense with 15 digs.
The Frogs return to action Saturday afternoon at 1 against UNLV. The match is free to all and the first 200 fans will receive a free hand-held FM radio.
