The TCU women's volleyball team will get its sixth chance to top the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday. This time, it will be in front of a sold-out crowd at home to open its second season in the Big 12 Conference.
The Horned Frogs are hosting the defending national and Big 12 champion in No. 5 Texas (6-2, 0-0 Big 12), but despite the Longhorns' success in the 2012-2013 season, TCU head coach Prentice Lewis said her team isn't intimidated.
"Texas is very vulnerable," Lewis said. "They've lost a few matches this year. They are one of those team's where they are veterans and they won last year, but it's a whole new squad and every year it is something new."
Lewis also said TCU is "used to playing Texas," as the teams have been playing each other for the last three years.
"Anybody can beat anybody on any given day," she said. "Any team that comes out and plays, you'd hope they have the attitude to say, 'Hey, I'm ready to take anybody on at any time.'"
For the Frogs, Lewis said serving and getting the Longhorns out of system are in the game plan.
"It's going to totally depend on our serving, how well we serve, and to have to get them out of system so they have to give the high ball to the outside [hitter] and the high ball back in order for us to read defensively," she said.
Texas leads the all-time series between the two teams 5-0. The Frogs fell to Texas at home 3-0 the last time the teams met on October 31, 2012 at TCU.
The Frogs (11-3, 0-0 Big 12) are on an eight-match winning streak after winning the Spartan Spiketacular last weekend at UNC Greensboro. TCU swept North Carolina Central and George Mason and topped tournament-host UNC Greensboro in four sets.
Senior middle blocker Yvonne Igodan was named MVP of the tournament and finished the weekend with 31 kills. She is ranked second in the Big 12 Conference with a .374 hitting percentage on the season. Sophomore outside hitter Macy Capen and junior middle blocker Mattie Burleson were also named to the all-tournament team at the Spartan Spiketacular.
Freshman libero Shane Peters leads the team with 147 digs. Freshman outside hitter Ashley Smith leads the team in kills with 136 and setters Alexia Heist, a sophomore, and Trisha Langley, a redshirt freshman, have recorded 299 and 213 assists on the season, respectively.
Texas is coming off a tough win over Nebraska in five sets on Sunday. Sophomore middle blocker Molly McCage recorded a season-high eight kills and senior middle blocker Bailey Webster tallied a season high five blocks and 21 kills. Senior setter Hannah Allison added 29 assists in the match.
First serve will take place Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the University Recreation Center. The match is sold out, but will be televised live on FSSW+. Live stats can also be followed at GoFrogs.com.
