Texas opened up Gregory Gym and its 2019 campaign with the Orange-White scrimmage on Saturday. It was the first action for the Longhorns since being swept by BYU in the NCAA Regionals last season.
All four sets were competitive, with the largest margin being six points in the second set. Outside hitter Micaya White led the way with 16 kills as the White team beat the Orange squad 4-0.
Along with leading the way in kills, White also led the team in attacks and digs. Her dominance is nothing new. White was the 2018 Big 12 Player of the Year and the driving force for the Longhorns this year.
White has been at Texas for four years and was named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. Nevertheless, she still had nerves in the season opener.
“The first set was just (to get) all the jitters out,” White said. “Everyone’s nervous. This is our first time putting on our uniform. I think our team did well not letting the pressure and the excitement get to them.”
Right behind White was outside hitter Logan Eggleston. Only a sophomore, Eggleston has emerged as one of the top offensive threats for the Longhorns, scoring 312 kills last season. The duo of Eggleston and White will be the leaders of Texas’ offense as it makes a run at an eighth conference title in 10 years.
With only a week of practice, head coach Jerritt Elliott was pleased with what he saw out of his squad.
“For only being together for about a week, it was a pretty good performance on both sides,” Elliott said. “I liked what I saw — a lot of things to clean up, but at this point in the season we did some nice things.”
Of the good performances were freshmen Molly Phillips and Skylar Fields, who both showcased what they bring to the table and the value they hold for the Longhorns.
“It’s been a pleasure to have them in the preseason,” Elliott said. “They fit in well with our system. They can both help us. We’re excited to have those two join this group.”
The Orange side was filled with alumni, including Khat Bell, who was All-Big 12 First Team three times during her time at Texas.
“The alumni (are) awesome,” White said. “They compete (without) even being on our team. They want to make us better. … I love them all.”
Texas has nearly two weeks before it begins the regular season against Northern Iowa on Aug. 30.
“I think we’re ready to compete,” White said. “We’re like this bottle of energy and excitement. I’m excited because I think this team is very special.”
