Red Raiders Outlast TCU

Friday, October 9

Fort Worth

5 PM

TCU

1-3,1-3Big 12

Texas Tech

3-3,3-3Big 12

Texas Tech

TCU

10/9/2020 9:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

Strong defensive effort comes up short against Texas Tech

FORT WORTH -- TCU volleyball fell to Texas Tech, 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 20-25, 18-25) on Friday evening inside Schollmaier Arena. The defense, led by seniors Dani Dennison and Berklie Baker, helped the Horned Frogs to 68 digs in the effort.

"I think our team came out with a lot of energy," Head Coach Jill Kramer said. "We were sharp in the first set and a half and had a tough time keeping that pace. We need to learn from this heading into our next series."

TCU NOTABLES:
·      TCU had three players record double-digit digs for the first time this season – Dennison, Baker and Mckenzie Nichols.
·      The Horned Frogs set a new season-best with 17 digs/set as a team tonight, the best average since Sept. 28, 2019 against Kansas State.
·      Dennison led the team in digs for the third time this season, with 19.
·      She is now averaging a team-best 4.20 digs/set this season.
·      Baker set a new season high with 12 digs in a strong effort.
·      Nichols recorded 10 digs to go along with 36 assists for her first double-double of 2020.
·      Nichols now owns 10 double-doubles - the most on the team.
·      Sophomore Mykayla Myers enjoyed the best match of her collegiate career to-date, delivering career-bests in kills (eight), hitting percentage (.316), blocks (five), digs (two) and matching her career-best with an ace.
·      Sophomore Afedo Manyang led the team in kills for the second-straight night, finishing with 15. She completes the series with a team-best 39 kills in nine sets of work – 4.33 kills/set.
·      Sophomore Julia Adams was close behind with 14 kills of her own to finish the weekend with 38 kills – 4.22/set
·      TCU set a season high with nine blocks tonight, at 2.25 block/set.
·      Freshman Taylor Raiola collected her first-career kill in her season debut. She finished with two kills and two digs in the fourth set.
·      Junior Ashley Wehrstein enjoyed her best night of the season on the back row, posting seven digs to go along with a perfect 26/26 receiving serves.
·      Wehrstein has been effective against Tech throughout her career. Over half of her career digs have come against the Red Raiders (18 of 35).

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set 1 (TCU, 25-21): Three service errors in the first 10 points for TTU gave the Frogs an early 6-4 advantage. The match evened up after that, leading to a 15-14 Horned Frog advantage. A kill from Grayson Schirpik sparked a 4-0 TCU run, capped with a block from Nichols and Myers to give the Frogs a 19-14 lead. Strong offense from Adams helped TCU hold the lead and eventually win the set by four points. Adams led the team with five kills in the opening frame. Myers was very strong to start, collecting four kills on five swings to go along with her block. Sarah Swanson led the team with a pair of blocks while Dennison and Baker each added three digs.

Set 2 (TTU, 20-25): In what would become a theme all night, TCU got ahead early in the second set. Two kills from Adams to go along with a pair of blocks by Adams/Myers and Swanson/Nichols put TCU in front, 8-2. But Texas Tech found a formula that worked for them on offense and put together a string of runs to win the set by five. Manyang led the team with four kills. Kate Georgiades paced the defense with five digs.

Set 3 (TTU, 20-25): The third set started with a flurry from Manyang. After being held relatively in check through the first two sets, she came out with a purpose in set three, hitting balls with pace and efficiency to the tune of five kills in the first 10 points, helping TCU in front, 7-3. But again, as time went on, Tech got closer and closer, eventually taking the lead at 12-13 and holding that lead all the way to the end. Manyang finished with seven kills in the set on .462 hitting. Dennison was huge in the start as well, finishing with seven digs. Wehrstein had the most productive match of her career this set, tracking down seven digs herself.

Set 4 (TCU, 18-25): TCU tried to regain its footing in the fourth, bringing Raiola off the bench to add a new look at the pin. But Tech went on a 7-2 run in the middle of the set to take a 15-10 lead and held onto that for the victory. Adams led the team with four kills along with three from Myers. Dennison was strong once again in the back row, delivering seven digs for the second straight set.

UP NEXT:
The Horned Frogs continue their Big 12 schedule with a road series against West Virginia, Oct. 15-16. Thursday's match will be broadcast on ESPNU at 6 p.m. while Friday's can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ at 5 p.m. inside WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia.

For more information on TCU Volleyball visit GoFrogs.com and follow @TCUVolleyball on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.