Julia Adams recorded a game-high 10 kills in just the second match of her career, as TCU volleyball swept Lipscomb 3-0 to move to 2-0 in the 2019 Cowtown Classic.
“Going in, I knew I had to be super aggressive,” Adams said. “It’s all about just going out there, being as competitive as possible, being as aggressive as possible, and playing your own game.”
Adams, a first-year student from Plano, Texas, tallied a .471 hitting clip to go with two blocks in the victory for the Horned Frogs.
“She’s just been on fire when she’s gone in,” coach Jill Kramer said. “I can tell that she’s paying attention when she’s on the bench.”
Coming off of a sweep of High Point on Friday, TCU looked locked in right away in the first set. They rode outstanding play from middle blocker Katie Clark to a quick 10-3 lead.
Clark had recorded two kills and a block during that time. The sophomore finished the match with nine kills, five digs and four blocks.
The Frogs cruised from there, winning the first set 25-16.
Lipscomb would not just roll over, though. The teams traded runs in the second set, with the score tied at 11 midway through. TCU struggled to serve well, giving Lipscomb life. Regardless, a strong offensive attack led by Adams would prove too much for the Bison, and the Horned Frogs took command of the match with a 25-19 win.
TCU recorded 11 service errors in the contest.
“I’d like to see us get a little bit better at that [serving],” Kramer said. “We had some people serving for the first time in a match today too, and they did a great job.”
The third set looked to be a blowout at first, with TCU taking an 18-7 lead at one point. The run of dominance included a span of two-straight service aces by middle blocker Afedo Manyang.
Once again, Lipscomb would not go away, as the Bison put together a 10-3 run to cut the lead to four late in the set. This would be as close as they got though, as TCU pulled away to complete the sweep with a 25-19 third set victory.
“Adversity is always good,” Kramer said of Lipscomb’s 10-3 run. “Some people were getting their first time of the season, so I’m sure that played into it a little bit.”
Setters İrem Uçar and McKenzie Nichols combined for 32 assists and five digs in the win.
“I do think our setters spread out the offense really well, and it was pretty balanced for the most part,” Kramer said. “I think they felt like they could set anybody at any time.”
The Horned Frogs look to go 3-0 in the Cowtown Classic on Sunday when they face off with Villanova (2-0). The first serve in Fort Worth is set for 1 p.m.
