TCU
BYU*
TCU Falters in 3-1 Loss at BYU
10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 31, 2008
PROVO, Utah - The TCU Horned Frogs jumped out to an early 1-0 match lead, but couldn't hold on as BYU won three straight to hand the Frogs a 3-1 (25-23, 12-25, 19-25, 20-25) loss. Devon Kirk led the Frog attack with 10 kills, while Katelyn Blackwood paced the Frogs defensively with 12 digs.The Horned Frogs jumped out to the early match lead as they hung on for a 25-23 set one victory. They took control early with a 4-1 lead on kills from Devon Kirk and Nirelle Hampton along with an ace from Irene Hester. BYU would battle back to tie the set at four, but a kill from Lauren Otto gave the Frogs back their lead.
TCU was able to hang on to its lead despite a tough battle from BYU. The Cougars eventually took the lead, 13-12 on a block, but it would be the last lead they would have as Otto tied the set at 13. She then teamed with Kourtney Edwards on a block on the outside to reestablish the Frog lead. Edwards and Christy Hudson gave TCU a 17-15 lead with a loud block in the middle.
BYU eventually tied the set at 20, but a Cougar service error put the Frogs on top to stay. Kristen Hester pitched in with an ace, forcing a BYU timeout. Hudson gave the Frogs set point and after staving off a 2-0 Cougar run, sealed the win on a blast from Otto.
The Cougars would tie the match at a game apiece with a convincing 25-12 win in the second set. The Frogs never got rolling as they committed eight attack errors, while the Cougars dropped in 15 kills.
BYU kept control of the match out of the intermission and found some more fire power off of their bench. Casey Speredon proved too much for the Frogs in the third set as she broke an 8-8 tie in the third set with back-to-back kills.
TCU would battle back to tie the set at 14, helped along by kills from Otto, Hudson and Hampton. The Cougars would respond with a 4-0 run that put the Frogs in a deep hole. After a TCU timeout, the Frogs rallied with a 2-0 run, but another big 4-0 run gave the Cougars set point and Speredon finished the 25-19 Cougar win.
The Frogs tried to get back in the match and fought the Cougars early in the fourth set, trailing by just one, 6-5, after an ace from Hudson. Two kills from Kirk kept the deficit at one as the Frogs and Cougars traded points, but a Cougar kill spurred a 4-0 run that broke the set open.
Otto and Edwards tried to key a Frog rally with a kill and the Frogs responded, pulling back within one, 15-14. Hudson and Sarah Joeckel pitched in with kills. The Frogs eventually got the set tied at 16 on an attack error by Rachel Dyer.
Tied at 17, the Cougars rattled off three straight points and never looked back as they won the match with a 25-20 set four victory.
TCU (17-7, 6-5 MWC) returns to the court Sunday afternoon at Utah. First serve is slated for 2 p.m. (CST) in Salt Lake City. The match will be aired tape-delayed on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. on CBS College Sports.
