Oct. 20, 2006
Final Stats
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU Horned Frogs dropped a tough 3-1 (30-26, 23-30, 20-30, 24-30) decision to the third-place Colorado State Rams Friday night at the University Rec Center. Despite taking the opening game, the Frogs couldn't overcome a game two loss.
LeMeita Smith led the Frogs with 13 kills and
Anna Vaughn pitched in with 10.
Calli Corley and
Loren Barry posted double figures in digs with 14 and 10, respectively.
The Frogs controlled the momentum in game one as they jumped out to an early 13-7 lead. In her first start of the season, Devon Kirk was huge as she had two kills in the first five points of the match. The Rams managed to tie the game three times before the Frogs went on a mini-run behind the serving of Nirelle Hampton to open up the five-point advantage.
Colorado State mounted a mini-rally of its own to get within two, 17-15, but a long rally helped along by some great defense by the Frogs came to an end with a Kirk blast to make it 18-15. The Frogs withstood a furious rally from the Rams late in the set to take the game one victory, 30-26, on a kill by Smith.
Another tight affair greeted the Frogs in game two as they battled through 14 ties and five lead changes. The Frogs opened up a 2-0 advantage but from then on neither team could build more than a two point advantage. Barry rattled off three straight points to get the Frogs an 8-6 lead, but the Rams responded with three straight points of their behind the serving of Katelin Batten.
With the score knotted at 12, kills by Anna Vaughn and Emily Allen helped the Frogs open up a 14-12 advantage. Again, the Rams fought back, this time behind the serving of Tonya Mokelki who served the Rams to a 16-15 lead. After a Vaughn kill made it 18-all, Colorado State reeled off five straight points to open up a 22-19 lead. Kirk ended the Rams rally with a loud kill off the block, but it wouldn't be enough as the Rams closed out the match on an 8-3 run to claim the 30-23 win.
Game three played out almost exactly like game two with 13 ties and five lead changes. The lead never grew to more than one point until the Rams went on a 3-0 run to open up a 16-13 lead. The Frogs pulled back within one at 17-16 on a Vaughn blast, but the Rams had an answer in Mekana Barnes. She rolled off six straight points to extend the Colorado State lead out to 25-17 and it went on to win, 30-20.
The Rams carried the game three momentum into game four as they jumped out to a 12-8 lead. The Frogs battled back to pull within one at 17-16 behind a kill from Lauren Otto and a Barry ace forcing a Colorado State timeout. The break accomplished its task as the Rams immediately sided out to regain a two-point advantage. They withstood a late rally by the Frogs to hold on for the 30-24 win.
TCU falls to 16-7 overall and 4-5 in conference play. It returns to the court on Saturday night when the Air Force Falcons come to town. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.
