Frogs Fall in Five-Set Heartbreaker

Thursday, November 13

Boulder, Colo.

8 PM

TCU

18-8,8-6Big 12

Colorado

21-5,11-3Big 12

TCU

Colorado

Frogs Fall in Five-Set Heartbreaker

11/13/2025 11:54:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOULDER, Colo. – Battling for five sets, No. 16 TCU fell in a heartbreaker to No. 22 Colorado on Thursday night inside the CU Events Center.

The Horned Frogs (18-8, 8-6 Big 12) forced extra points in both the fourth and fifth sets, erasing deficits, but were unable to close out the match when they had a two-set-to-one advantage.

TCU finished with a team high 19 total blocks, its most in a match since 2023, but in the end, the Frogs couldn't slow down the Buffs' offense, powered by outside hitter Ana Burilovic, who ranks seventh nationally in points per set.

Evan Hendrix turned in 19 kills on the night, one shy of her eighth 20-plus kill performance this season. She was followed by Lauren Murphy and Becca Kelley with 12 and 11, respectively. Murphy had a strong night, hitting at a very efficient .357 clip and tying her career-high with seven blocks.

Both teams were very evenly matched to start the first set, trading points back and forth until Colorado went on a 4-0 scoring run out of the media break to go up 19-15. The Frogs battled back within one on a kill from Kelley, but the Buffs responded to score the final three points and take the opening set 25-21.

In the second set, TCU grabbed an early two-point lead and took control. A 6-1 run down the stretch, capped off by an Alexis Roberson stuff block, gave the Frogs a seven-point advantage at 23-16. Hendrix put down a kill, and a CU error helped TCU even the match at one set apiece.

The Frogs carried the momentum into the third set, and torched the Buff with a 9-1 stretch as everything was going their way. TCU kept its foot on the gas, building up its largest lead of the night at 23-15 before closing out the set with a 25-19 victory.

Trying to extend the match and force a fifth set, Colorado flipped the script on the Frogs with a 4-1 run that gave the Buffs a four-point cushion. They carried it all the way until set point; however, TCU fended off three straight set points with Riley Weigelt at the service line to tie things up at 24-24. Pushing into extra points, the Frogs stalled Colorado two more times and even had a chance to win the match, but the Buffs came away with back-to-back kills to win 29-27.

Playing a winner-take-all fifth set, it was Colorado who jumped out to a 6-2 lead. The Buffs continued to push the margin to five, going up 10-5 on the Frogs before TCU methodically chipped away at the lead. Scoring in bursts, the Frogs managed to tie the set back up at 14-14 and send the fifth set into extras. Both teams had opportunities to put the match away, but in the end, it was Colorado who earned the 19-17 victory to win the match in a five-set thriller.

TCU looks to bounce back on Saturday, Nov. 15, when it takes on No. 25 Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, at 2 p.m. CT.