TCU
Belmont
Volleyball claims tournament crown with 3-1 win
8/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 30, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU Horned Frogs remained undefeated with a 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 25-12, 25-13) victory over Belmont in the Molten/Nike Invitational Saturday night at the University Rec Center. An MVP performance from Lauren Otto, who finished the match with 19 kills and 10 digs guided the Frogs to a 3-0 start. Along the way, Nirelle Hampton tied the school record for career aces (141). Katelyn Blackwood established a career-high with 22 digs.A see-saw affair in game one saw six ties and five lead changes. Belmont jumped out to the early lead only to see it disappear with Otto behind the service line. A blast from Hampton in the middle gave TCU a 6-3 advantage.
The Bruins battled to tie the game at nine and then again at 17, but each time, costly errors killed their momentum. A Megan Munce blast from the outside gave the Frogs an 18-17 lead and they closed out the set on an 8-3 run. Otto's sixth kill of the set gave the Frogs game point and she finished it off with a loud kill to the back court for a 25-20 victory and the early lead.
Belmont jumped on the Frogs early in game two, rolling to an early 13-6 lead. The Frogs mounted rallies in the game but couldn't overcome the early deficit. Twice TCU got the set within two, but each time Belmont came up with a big play and eventually evened the match at a game apiece with a 25-22 victory.
Out of the intermission it was all Frogs. TCU was clicking on all cylinders in game three as it built a 15-5 lead. Kourtney Edwards got the Frogs rolling with a blast down the middle and teamed with Nirelle Hampton for a loud denial on the outside. Hampton and Edwards kept things going with kills and blocks, helping the Frogs build the large lead.
In the set, Hampton tied the school record for career aces as she served up her 141st career ace to give the Frogs a 12-3 lead. The Frogs withstood a mini-rally by Belmont that got them back within nine, 20-11.
Irene Hester stepped behind the service line and pushed the Frogs to set point, helped along by two kills from Otto and one of her three aces on the night. Otto sealed the game three victory with her seventh kill of the set.
Another dominating game for the Frogs secured the match victory as TCU rocketed to a 25-13 game four win. With the score tied at four, Blackwood served the Frogs to a 10-0 run. A solo stuff from Otto followed by a Kirk/Otto denial highlighted the rally that was capped by one of Blackwood's two aces on the night.
Belmont would never recover from the run and Edwards finished the Bruins night with a ringing kill to the middle of the court for the win.
TCU hit .316 (52-15-117) for the match and tallied 61 digs. Otto tallied her second double-double of the season with 19 kills and 10 digs. Christy Hudson pitched in with four kills, three blocks and 10 digs. Hampton finished the night with five kills and 26 assists.
TCU (3-0) will wrap up its four-match home stand Tuesday night when it hosts Texas Southern. Match time is set for 7 p.m. at the University Rec Center.
TCU's All-Tournament Team Members
Lauren Otto (MVP)
Nirelle Hampton
Irene Heste
Kourtney Edwards
