Kansas Defense Stings TCU

Saturday, March 13

Fort Worth

1 PM

TCU

1-14,1-11Big 12

Kansas

8-10,7-9Big 12

Kansas

TCU

Kansas Defense Stings TCU

3/13/2021 5:06:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

FORT WORTH -- TCU volleyball couldn't get around the Kansas block enough on Saturday afternoon, falling to Kansas in four sets, 3-1, inside Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. The Jayhawks finished with 14 blocks (3.5 Blk/S) and managed to turn those momentum plays into scoring runs, despite a well-balanced Horned Frog attack.

TCU NOTABLES:
·       Six hitters collected at least five kills tonight. The most balanced offensive attack of the season.
·       Afedo Manyang led the team in kills for the first time this spring, with 13.
·       This was her sixth double-digit kills match of the year, including a stretch of four in a row back in the fall.
·       Dennison led the team with 16 digs tonight, extending her career total to 1,289.
·       She holds the third most digs in program history, 45 digs behind 2nd place (Katelyn Blackwood).
·       Dennison finished the series with 33 digs (4.125 digs/s), the most on the team.
·       Sophomore Audrey Nalls set a season high in hitting percentage (.286). She recorded five kills before her first error.
·       She finished with nine kills to just three errors, the second-best kill/error ratio of her career.
·       Freshman Taylor Raiola finished off a solid series with nine kills and a season-high three blocks.
·       She finishes the series with 21 kills (2.65 K/S), 12 digs and four blocks.
·       Katie Clark (8), Julia Adams (6) and MyKayla Myers (5) also added at least five kills, as the combination of Alyssa Heist and McKenzie Nichols spread the ball around well throughout the day.
·       MyKayla Myers led the net front presence with four blocks, her most this spring.
·       Alyssa Heist led the way with 21 assists along with 20 from Nichols.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set 1 (TCU, 25-21): The Frogs seemed more comfortable in their second match in a 6-2 offense, spreading the ball to multiple hitters early and feeding the hot hand in Manyang to pull away and win the opening set. Kansas started the day with a 6-3 lead but a pair of blocks from Myers fueled a Horned Frog response to give TCU a 7-6 lead. Both teams would trade points to a 19-19 tie, before three kills from Manyang, a block from Myers and Manyang and strong serving from freshman Kate Georgiades propelled TCU to a 5-0 run and eventually, a four-point victory. TCU held Kansas to .135 hitting, thanks to four blocks and 17 digs. Manyang led the team with five kills, along with three each from Nalls and Adams. Myers finished with three blocks and Dennison combined with Adams to lead the team with four digs each. Nichols (7) and Heist (6) combined for 13 assists.

Set 2 (KU, 25-17): Kansas made some adjustments after the opening set, resulting in five Jayhawk blocks. The increased physicality at the net forced TCU into uncomfortable positions and Kansas was able to nurse an early 9-3 lead into an eight-point win.

Set 3 (KU, 25-17): The Horned Frogs overcame another 9-3 Kansas lead to get within one point, 11-10. But another block from the Jayhawks aided a 5-1 KU run to allow Kansas a more comfortable, 16-11 score. That gap grew to eight by the end of the set and Kansas took a 2-1 advantage in the match.

Set 4 (KU, 25-17): For the third set in a row, KU got out in front, 9-3. The Horned Frogs couldn't close the gap and would drop the set by the same score line. The TCU offense was solid, scoring 12 kills on .200 hitting, but untimely service errors and confident Jayhawk attackers ended the comeback chance.

UP NEXT
The Horned Frogs will travel down I-35 for a Thursday afternoon match against Texas State. First serve is set for 1 p.m.

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