TCU
UIC
Volleyball Puts Out the Flames
9/5/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sep 5, 2013
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | F | |
| TCU | 25 | 17 | 25 | 25 | x | 3 |
| UIC | 20 | 25 | 21 | 10 | x | 1 |
Quick Stats | TCU | UIC |
| Kills | 49 | 48 |
| Assists | 44 | 46 |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Digs | 44 | 40 |
| Blocks | 12 | 6 |
| Attack Percentage | .321 | .184 |
| Stat Leaders | ||||
| Team | Kills | Assists | Digs | Blocks |
| TCU | Smith (15) | Heist (24) | Sunstrum (8) | Burleson (10) |
| UIC | Johnson (12) | Imrie (42) | Friel (9) | McCoy (3) |
CHICAGO, Ill. - Another stellar blocking performance from the TCU volleyball team propelled the team to a 3-1 (25-20, 17-25, 25-21, 25-10) victory over UIC Thursday night inside the Flames Athletic Center.
After splitting the first two sets, the Frogs (3-1, 0-0 Big 12) rebounded to win the next two and defeat the Flames (1-3, 0-0 Horizon League). TCU recorded 12 blocks in the first meeting between the programs for its second double-digit block performance in a row this season.
TCU showed its offensive power in the first set by coming out swinging on the first point with a kill from Ashley Smith. Yvonne Igodan and Smith would record six more kills between the two to take an 11-7 lead. UIC would storm back with a block and three straight kills to tie the set at 11-11, but a strong serving run from Trisha Langley put the Frogs back in the lead for good as TCU would go on to win the 25-20. Igodan put down five kills and no errors in the set for a .833 hitting percentage, while Smith recorded six kills and one error for a 625 hitting percentage.
The second set started just like the first with the Frogs taking an early 11-8 lead, but four errors by TCU propelled the Flame to a 14-11 lead. Kills from Blaire Pickens and Smith pulled the match even at 15-15, but a kill from Sara Stenard, her seventh of the match, sparked a 10-2 run, as UIC would win the second set 25-17 and tie the match at 1-1.
After the break, it was a battle between the two teams in the third set. TCU took the lead to start the set and would never relinquish it, but the Flames would not make it easy as they tied the set on six different occasions. Tied at 17-17, an error by UIC, combined with a block from Igodan and Natalie Gower, gave the Frogs the final push it needed to pull out a 25-21 win in the third set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
TCU used the momentum from the third set to take a 7-1 lead to start the fourth set and never looked back as the team would need only nine kills and a .421 hitting percentage to finish off the set 25-10 and win the match.
Smith would lead all players with 15 kills, while also recording a .414 hitting percentage and chipping in seven digs. Holland finished out the match with nine kills and zero errors for a .600 hitting percentage, while also recording 4 blocks. Igodan also chipped in nine kills and only one error for a .571 hitting percentage, while also finishing with a career-high five digs.
Burleson led the defensive effort by posting 10 blocks to tie her career-high, while Alexia Heist and Langley guided the offense with 24 and 17 assists, respectively.
TCU now heads to Milwakee, Wis., to take part in the Marquette Challenge on Sept. 6-7. The Frogs will face No. 3 USC on Friday at 1 p.m., and tournament host Marquette on Saturday at Noon.
