TCU
UC Irvine
TCU Closes Out Regular Season With Victory
11/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 28, 2009
LONG BEACH, Calif. - The TCU Horned Frogs capped off an amazing regular season with a thrilling 3-1 (25-21, 25-20, 23-25, 25-23) victory over UC Irvine Saturday afternoon at the Mizuno Thanksgiving Classic. The Frogs finish the regular season with a 26-6 record. Kourtney Edwards led the Frog attack with 14 digs, while Lauren Otto paced an impressive defensive effort with 22 digs.Megan Munce notched her 13th double-double of the season with 39 assists and 12 digs. Christy Hudson continued her hot play with 12 kills and served up an ace. Irene Hester tallied eight kills to go along with 17 digs. Katelyn Blackwood finished the match with 14 digs. Kristen Hester led the Frogs at the net with five blocks and seven kills.
The Anteaters took control of the first set early as they worked the set to a 16-12 lead, forcing a TCU timeout. The break worked its magic as the Frogs found life and fought to get back in the set. Otto started a 3-1 run that pulled the Frogs back within two. The run was capped when Megan Munce won a joust at the net.
UC Irvine put together back-to-back points to regain the four point advantage, but a 5-0 run turned the deficit into a 21-20 lead. Munce dropped in two kills and Edwards picked up another around a block from Kristen Hester and Munce.
After UCI tied the set at 20, Irene Hester took over the set with two straight kills and teamed on a block with Kristen Hester on the outside to make it a 23-20 game. Christy Hudson completed the 25-21 victory with her lone kill of the set.
A similar story played out in the second set as the Anteaters stormed out to a commanding 16-11 lead that prompted a Horned Frog timeout. UC Irvine seemed to have weathered the break as it pushed its lead to 18-12, but the Frogs came to life and rattled off an 8-0 run that turned the set around.
Otto got things rolling and after two Anteater errors, UC Irvine called its first timeout. Hudson dropped in two kills around a blast from Edwards and Kristen Hester served up an ace to give TCU the 19-18 lead. Hudson and Edwards teamed on a block to give the Frogs a two-point cushion, 20-18, completing the run. Three dominating swings by Edwards and another kill from Irene Hester gave the Frogs a 25-20 set two victory.
Another set, another Irvine lead that it couldn't hold. In the third set, the Anteaters raced out to an 11-6 lead only to see the Frogs battle back to tie the set at 14. Two straight errors gave the Frogs life and two kills from Edwards made it a 13-11 lead. Blackwood tallied a kill on a great overpass to bring TCU within one and Hudson capped the rally and forced a UC Irvine timeout.
UC Irvine weathered the Frog storm and went on a 3-0 run out of the timeout. The Anteaters would get set point with a 24-20 lead, but would still need to hold off a Frog rally. Kristen Hester and Christy Hudson helped fight off four set points before Kari Pestolesi finally gave the Anteaters the 25-23 set three win.
The Frogs needed a late surge in the fourth set to stave off a come-from-behind bid by the Anteaters. UC Irvine again took a big lead late into the set as they were up 21-19. A service error got the Frogs rolling and they closed out the match on a 6-2 run.
Kristen Hester tied the set at 23 and a hitting error by the Anteaters gave the Frogs match point. Edwards finished off the victory with a blast in the middle.
TCU improves to 26-6 on the season. It will find out its fate for the postseason Sunday afternoon. The Frogs are poised to earn their first-ever NCAA bid. The selection show will air on ESPNews Sunday at 2 p.m. (CST). The Frogs invite the public to celebrate their historic season in the Meyer-Martin Athletic Center club area. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
