It’s hard to win a match when you can’t get the ball over the net.
TCU learned this the hard way on Sunday as No. 5 Texas repeatedly denied the Horned Frogs’ offense, recording 11 team blocks in a clean 3-0 sweep.
The Longhorns made every point a battle for TCU, holding the Horned Frogs to a hitting percentage of just .135 in the first set.
Sophomore outside hitter Micaya White led the charge on offense, recording four kills at .308 percent in the Longhorns’ 25-22 win.
The second set was a blur, as Texas blindsided TCU with a massive 14-3 run to start things off. The Longhorns then cruised to a 25-12 win that was over in just 23 minutes.
But TCU refused to go away easy, battling to a 19-16 lead in the potential closeout set. The Longhorns put an end to the comeback bid, though, responding with a 9-2 run to earn the victory and complete the sweep.
White finished the day with 12 kills, and freshman setter Ashley Shook kept the ball moving with 28 assists — both team-highs.
But it was senior Chiaka Ogbogu who made things increasingly difficult for the Horned Frogs. The middle blocker ended her night recording a team-high nine blocks in the win.
“I thought the match went well,” Ogbogu said. “We really focused on executing on our side and making sure we are all doing our individual jobs.”
The Longhorns (12-2, 4-0) were ready for everything TCU threw at them on Friday after having seven days to prepare for the match.
“We focused a lot on out-of-system blocking in practice,” Ogbogu said. “We did a good job of talking to each other, which made my job easier.”
Following the win over TCU, the Longhorns will now shift their focus to a Big 12 showdown on Wednesday against No. 11 Kansas (16-2, 5-0).
Both teams enter the match with perfect records in conference play, but there’s more than just an unblemished loss column on the line. The Jayhawks pulled off a stunning 3-2 upset over Texas last season on Oct. 29, and the Longhorns now have a chance to return the favor as they head to Lawrence, Kansas.