The TCU volleyball team kept up its winning ways by closing out the TCU Nike Invitational with three victories this weekend.

Not only did the Horned Frogs pick up three victories, they also shattered many school and individual records.

TCU vs Grambling State

TCU started the first day of the home opener with a 25-15, 25-11, 25-11 win over Grambling State on Friday night.

In this match, Blaire Pickens became only the third player in Big 12 history to have a perfect 1,000 hitting percentage after putting down 10 kills on 10 attempts. She now sits atop the TCU record book for highest single match hitting percentage.

Stephanie Holland landed the No. 4 spot in the record book with a .800 hitting percentage after recording eight kills on 10 attempts in the match. After recording six aces, Trisha Langley made points for TCU from behind the service line and is now tied for No. 6 in the single match record books. After holding down the back court for the Frogs, Sutton Sunstrum finished with 12 digs for the second double-digit dig match of the season.

TCU vs Miami

In defeating Miami in the second match of this weekend’s invitational, TCU picked up its fourth straight win and a 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 25-17, 17-25, 15-12) victory in the final match of day one.

Both Ashley Smith and Stephanie Holland made 16 kills each for the Frogs while Sarita Mikals made nine. With completing her first double-double of the season, Smith picked up 11 digs and Mikals was just short of 12.

Trisha Langley and Alexia Heist paced the offense with 23 and 22 assists. Langley lead the Horned Frogs from beyond the service line for the second straight match with five aces.

Sutton Sunstrum started at libero for the fourth match this season and picked up her second 20 plus dig match. During this match, Sunstrum posted double-digit digs for the third time this season.

In the opening set, TCU didn’t commit a single hitting error for a .361 hitting percentage. Neither TCU nor Miami was able to gain more than a two-point advantage, however, TCU closed the set 25-23 after Miami made a service error.

TCU struggled to get a lead in the second set. Miami’s service run brought the Hurricanes’ lead to 16-11. Shortly after, Savannah Leaf made a kill, resulting in a 25-19 win for Miami.

Langley opened up the third set with three aces, leading the Frogs to a 9-0 advantage. TCU closed the set 25-17 off a kill from Holland.

Miami got off to a good start early in the fourth set with a 7-1 lead. For the first time this season, the Frogs recorded a negative hitting percentage, as they struggled offensively throughout the set. Miami took a second win over TCU at 25-17.

The fifth set would decide what team would take the victory. Both teams were off to a good start, however, TCU fell behind after three kills from the Hurricanes gave Miami a 6-3 lead. Miami continued to dominate the set at 8-6, but both teams were soon tied at 8-8 when Langley dumped the ball for a kill and Blaire Pickens and Regan McGuire put up a big block against the Hurricanes. TCU eventually came to their first two-point lead at 12-10 after kills from both Smith and Holland. The fifth set concluded with a smack down from Mikals and a final put down from Holland, earning a win for TCU at 15-12.

TCU vs. Prairie View A&M

The Horned Frogs swept Prairie View A&M 3-0 (25-10, 25-15, 25-22) in the first match of the second day of the TCU Nike Invitational on Saturday morning.

Chyna Perkins served out all three sets against the Panthers, ultimately earning another victory for the Frogs. Perkins made four career-high kills in the match as well as career-highs in hitting percentage (.429), service aces (3) and digs (7).

TCU’s Macy Capen and Regan McGuire led the team offensively with six kills. McGuire recorded zero errors for a .600 hitting percentage.

At a 7-2 lead early in the first set, Ashley Smith, Stephanie Holland and Mattie Burleson each made kills. The score stretched to 13-4, the Frogs still in the lead, after an ace from Trisha Langley.

TCU continued to excel, with Perkins putting down two straight kills for a 19-10 lead. The Frogs brought its block total to five in the set with two straight shut downs for a 25-10 victory.

In the second set, TCU got off to a 6-2 lead with blocks from Mia Swanegan and an ace from Jen Miller. The Panthers eventually tied the match at 6-6, but shortly after Alexia Heist set up a 3-0 run for a 9-6 lead.

Natalie Gower made the first kill of the match, which gave TCU a 14-9 lead. The Panthers were then forced into a timeout and soon caught up to the Frogs at 18-16 after TCU made two hitting errors.

Perkins served out the set again and put down a kill, TCU increasing the lead 19-16.

The Frogs held the Panthers to a negative hitting percentage at -.062 and took a 25-16 win.

In the second set, Prairie View A&M took the lead at 6-3. TCU soon made a comeback and tied the set up at 9-9, but the Panthers made a kill and stretched the lead to 14-9.

The Panthers made an error, which allowed the Frogs to tie the set at 20-20. TCU was able to earn a 25-22 win after Perkins closed the set once again with two aces and Capen making a final kill.

TCU vs UALR

TCU was defeated by UALR 3-0 (24-26, 25-27, 15-25) in the championship match of the TCU Nike Invitational on Saturday night.

The Trojans were ultimately able to take the victory title away from the Horned Frogs after scoring enough extra points in the first two sets to earn themselves two wins.

For the second time in the invitational, Ashley Smith led TCU with eight kills, one service ace, nine digs and one block for a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Over the weekend, Smith earned 34 kills, which added up to 2.62 kills per set and 30 digs.

TCU’s Sutton Sunstrum also earned herself a spot on the All-Tournament Team after making 18 double-digit digs for the third time in the last four matches. Sunstrum made 60 digs this weekend and 5.00 digs per set.

The Frogs lost the first set of the night to the Trojans in a close game. TCU initially took the lead at 6-3 after Smith, Blaire Pickens and Mattie Burleson made kills. Kills from the Trojans are what caught UALR up to TCU. Eventually, the Trojans combined three kills and an error by the Frogs, concluding the set 26-24.

In the second set, TCU was able to quickly get a 4-1 lead with two kills from Stephanie Holland and a put down from Smith. UALR soon took the lead from TCU after the Frogs made a few errors.

TCU caught UALR in errors, which allowed TCU to tie the set at 23-23. The teams were able to bring the score up at 25-25, but the Frogs made two hitting errors and gave UALR the win of the second set 27-25.

TCU fell behind in the third set. UALR was able to win the set 25-15, completing the sweep for the win, and winning the TCU Nike Invitational.

Watch them next time

The TCU volleyball team will travel to South Bend, Ind. to compete next weekend in the Shamrock Invitational at Notre Dame. The Horned Frogs will take on the Fighting Irish on Friday at 7 p.m. before playing Northern Iowa and Northeastern at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday.

Results of the TCU Nike Invitational

1.     UALR

2.     TCU

3.     Miami

4.     Prairie View A&M

5.     Grambling State

TCU Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team

·       Edina Begic (MVP) – UALR

·       Sonja Milanovic – UALR

·       Carolee Dillard – UALR

·       Sutton Sunstrum – TCU

·       Ashley Smith – TCU

·       Emani Sims – Miami

·       Jasmine Lewis – Prairie View A&M

·       Alleevah Hensley – Grambling State

For the full recap, notes and stats from the TCU Nike Invitational, check out the GoFrogs articles here.