• The KillerFrogs

GoFrogs: Adams Leads Volleyball's Surge Over Kansas

TopFrog

Lifelong Frog
https://gofrogs.com/news/2019/11/9/womens-volleyball-adams-leads-offensive-surge-over-kansas.aspx

GoFrogs: Adams Leads Volleyball's Surge Over Kansas

FORT WORTH -- TCU volleyball enjoyed its most efficient offensive night in Big 12 play this season as freshman Julia Adams hit 23 kills on .500 hitting to lead the Horned Frogs over Kansas, 3-1, Saturday night inside The Rickel.

As a team, TCU hit 64 kills in four sets (16 kills/set) while hitting a .293 percent, its highest hitting percentage against a Big 12 opponent this season. TCU claimed its third conference win of the year in four sets: 26-24, 23-25, 25-17, 25-22.

"First I really want to thank our fans. For our fans to come out in full force, regardless of our past results this season, says a lot about TCU Athletics and the support we have from Horned Frog nation. Julia had a great night, élan looked like her normal self, Katie was working really hard in transition. But Julia showed up all night long, mixed up her shots all night long and that was really cool to see. Kenz (Nichols) did such a great job running the offense tonight. She just keeps going, she keeps doing her best for her teammates and putting them in great positions to score. Tonight was no different, she really stepped up for them."

TCU NOTABLES:
  • Adams hit a career-best 23 kills to lead the team.
  • It was the most kills by a Horned Frog this season and most since élan McCall hit 24 against Texas last season (Oct. 3, 2018).
  • Adams collected her 23 kills on .500 hitting (23 kills, 42 attempts, two errors). Her best hitting percentage in a match with more than 10 attempts.
  • She becomes the first TCU player to hit .500 with 20+ kills this season and first since McCall did so against WVU last season (Nov. 14, 2018).
  • Adams also posted a career high in blocks, finishing with six.
  • As a team, TCU hit 64 kills in four sets (16 kills/set) matching its season-best mark, set against WVU (48 kills in three sets).
  • TCU hit .293 on the night, its highest hitting percentage in a Big 12 match this season.
  • Sophomore Katie Clark collected a career-best seven blocks while adding 14 kills. Her third consecutive 10+ kill match and seventh such match in conference play this year.
  • Freshman McKenzie Nichols polished off her sixth double-double and third in her last four matches: 46 assists and a career-high 15 digs.
  • She has now posted three double-doubles in conference play with at least 40 assists, the second most in the conference.
  • Sophomore élan McCall had her best match of the season, posting a season-best 14 kills on .267 hitting. She turned it on when it mattered most, posting six kills in the fourth set.
  • Freshman Afedo Manyang was an offensive force in the middle, delivering eight kills to go with her three blocks.
  • Junior Dani Dennison finished with 15 digs to lead the team, along with Nichols. Against Kansas this season, Dennison delivered 36 digs (5.14./set).
  • This was the 14th consecutive sellout crowd inside The Rickel. Every home match of the season has been sold out.
  • The attendance tonight was 2,020, the 10th largest crowd in program history.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set 1 (TCU, 26-24): It was clear from the jump that TCU's hitters had come to play. Manyang, Adams, Clark and McCall each tallied early kills to help the Horned Frogs claim a 5-4 lead. Kansas roared back, leading by as many as four points late in the set, 18-22. But three kills and a block from Adams paired with two critical blocks from Clark allowed TCU to win six of the final seven points and win the set, 26-24. Adams led the team with seven kills on .583 hitting to open the match. Manyang added five kills in the middle as TCU hit 19 kills as a team to earn the come from behind win.

Set 2 (KU, 25-20): Four kills from Adams, three from Clark and two more from McCall helped TCU jump out to a 14-9 advantage. But Kansas regrouped after a timeout to tie the score, 17-17 and eventually take the set, 25-23. Adams led the team with six kills ln .600 hitting but the Jayhawks tied the match.

Set 3 (TCU, 25-17): The third set was full of runs. TCU struck first with a 4-0 run to claim a 4-1 lead, thanks to two kills and a block from Adams, but Kansas responded with a run of its own to cut the lead to 8-6. Another 3-0 scoring stretch for TCU grew the lead to 11-6 but Kansas responded to make it 13-10. The Horned Frogs looked to develop some breathing room with a 4-0 run just after but again, KU was there with a 3-0 run to make it 13-17. But unlike past sets, TCU buckled down, delivering another 4-0 run, fueled by a kill from freshman Audrey Nalls and another kill and block from Adams to give TCU a seemingly insurmountable eight-point gap, 21-13. A couple more kills from Clark nursed the set home as TCU seized momentum. Adams led the team with six kills once again as she teamed up with Clark for three blocks each and the Horned Frogs led the match, two sets to one.

Set 4 (TCU, 25-22): Determined to stretch the match to five sets, KU started the fourth with a 5-0 run. Adams responded with a kill and a solo block as TCU went on a 4-0 run to keep the set from getting out of hand. The Frogs worked their way back, taking the lead, 14-13 before McCall found her offensive groove. The mood in the gym shifted as McCall took the Jayhawks to task collecting four kills, each more impressive than the next, putting TCU in front, 21-17. Adams and Nalls polished the match off after that and TCU had earned its second Big 12 home win in its last three attempts. McCall and Adams led the team with six kills each as TCU hit 18 kills to get the win.

UP NEXT:
TCU heads back on the road next week for a pair of Big 12 matches. The first stop is Morgantown, W.V. where the Horned Frogs will battle the West Virginia Mountaineers on Wednesday for a 5:00 p.m. CT match. TCU finishes the week with a Saturday night match in Austin as the Horned Frogs go for the upset over the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns.

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