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Frogs match best start in school history, top Davidson in five
Sept. 8, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU volleyball team won its fifth straight match to improve to 9-1 on the season, matching its best start in school history set back in 2003. For the second straight match, the Frogs needed five games to put their opponent away as they topped Davidson, 3-2 (30-17, 24-30, 30-23, 25-30, 15-8). Lauren Otto recorded her second-straight double-double of the season with 12 kills and 12 digs. Anna Vaughn led the Frogs with 19 kills, while Calli Corley paced them defensively with 22 kills. The Frogs took advantage of 12 Wildcat errors and hit .344 in game one to cruise to a 30-17 victory. With the Frogs in the lead at 8-5, Nirelle Hampton got TCU on roll as she served five straight points to put the Frogs in control at 12-6. TCU quickly got a side out on a Davidson attack error and Katelyn Blackwood helped the Frogs increase their lead to 15-7. Kills by Vaughn and Otto gave TCU a double-digit lead at 19-9. Davidson would pull as close as 25-17, but Corley served out the game capped by Vaughn's sixth kill of the match. Davidson came alive in game two as they opened the set on a 10-4 run, forcing the Frogs to call a timeout. They kept the momentum and stretched the lead to 20-9 before TCU was able to put together a mini-rally by Otto's serve. Kills by Vaughn and LeMeita Smith made it a 20-12 Wildcat lead, but Davidson would hold to take game two, 30-24. The Wildcats out hit the Frogs .351 to .105 in the game. Just like Davidson did in game two, the Frogs grab the early lead in game three to take a two games to one lead in the match. Emily Allen started a 7-0 run with her first ace of the match. The Wildcats crept back into the game as they pulled to within four, 22-18, but an Otto kill ended the rally and Allen again started the Frogs on a 4-0 rally to make it a 28-22 contest. An error by the Wildcats gave TCU the 30-23 victory in game three. TCU again jumped out to the early lead in game four, but were unable to hold it as Davidson battled back behind Katie Pierucci and Lindsey Woeste's serving. With TCU leading 9-4, Davidson went on a 15-6 run to take a 20-17 lead. Allen tried to get the Frogs back in the match with her second ace of the game to make it 20-18 and the Frogs were eventually able to tie the game at 22. The Wildcats, however, closed out the match on an 8-2 run, 30-25, sending it to game five on a Lisa Cuellar ace. It was all Frogs in game five as they stormed out to an 8-4 lead. Three straight Wildcat hitting errors broke a 3-3 tie and a Hampton ace capped off the run. Davidson would get as close as 9-6, but two more errors by the Wildcats stifled the rally. Corley again served out the match as Allen slammed home her ninth kill of the match to secure the 15-8 victory in game five. The Frogs (9-1) will play a doubleheader on Saturday as the TCU Nike/LaQuinta Invitational continues. TCU and Centenary will square off at 1 p.m. followed by TCU versus Ole Miss at 4 p.m.
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