TCU
BYU
Cougars hand Frogs tough loss
11/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 1, 2007
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU Horned Frogs suffered a 3-1 (27-30, 30-24, 29-31, 23-30) loss to BYU Thursday night at the University Rec Center. After falling behind a set, the Frogs battled back to tie the game at one, but couldn't overcome a tough loss in game three as they fell to 19-10 on the season and 6-6 in league play. LeMeita Smith led the Frog attack with 15 kills, while Calli Corley led with a match-high 19 digs.Game one was a tight affair that saw eight ties but only one lead change. Each time the Frogs climbed back into the set, the Cougars would respond to regain the advantage. BYU took control early with a 7-3 lead in the set, but the Frogs would battle back to eventually knot the game at 12 on a service ace from Devon Kirk. Amy Schlauder put down a kill to end the Frog rally and spurred the Cougars on as they eventually built a 23-19 lead.
Again, the Frogs would fight to get the game tied at 24. Kourtney Edwards and Christy Hudson stuffed a Chelsea Goodman attack to start the rally and an Edwards/Nirelle Hampton denial capped the come back, prompting a BYU timeout.
The Frog momentum was squashed as the Cougars closed out the set on a 6-3 run to take the first set, 30-27.
A multitude of errors for the Cougars in game two and an improved blocking game for the Frogs helped them even the match at a game apiece. The Cougars committed 21 errors in the set. The set saw 10 ties and four lead changes before the Frogs eventually came away with the 30-24 win.
With the set tied at 17, a Kirk/Hudson stuff of a Bryn Porter attack gave the Frogs a lead they would never relinquish. Hampton served the Frogs to a 21-18 advantage and Kirk moved the Frogs to a five-point advantage, 25-20.
The Frogs withstood a 3-0 rally by the Cougars and Hudson took the service line as the Frogs inched toward the game two win. Hampton and Edwards teamed on a block and Edwards gave the Frogs set point. A Cougar hitting error sealed the Frog victory.
Game three was evenly matched the entire way, but four Cougar aces proved to be the deciding factor in the set as BYU claimed the all-important 2-1 match lead with a 31-29 win.
TCU had the early advantage in the set as they opened up a 12-9 lead on a Kirk/Smith block. The Cougars came alive following the block as they battled back to regain the lead behind the serving of Erica Lott.
The Frogs hung in there, staying close the rest of the way. Despite allowing the Cougars to take a four-point lead, the Frogs still had some fight as they worked hard to tie the game at 28 on a Smith kill. A Cougar attack error gave the Frogs set point, but Lott tied the set at 29 with her sixth kill of the set. Annie Pinegar served up two straight aces to seal the win.
It was all Cougars in game four as the Frogs struggled with Lott's serve. She put together four aces in a string of six serves to push the Cougar lead out to nine, 22-13. The Frogs tried to fight back, but the deficit was too large as they fell 30-23 in the final set.
The Frogs (19-10, 6-6 MWC) will return to action Friday night against Utah. Match time is slated for 7 p.m. at the University Rec Center.
