Why Texas won:

Swiftly and easily, Texas dominated its first NCAA tournament game against Colgate on Thursday night, swallowing the Raiders and starting the postseason on a strong note.

By the numbers:

4: Number of points allowed by the Longhorns in the first set, the fewest allowed in UT history for non-fifth sets since 2001.
.543: The Longhorns’ hitting percentage, their second-highest of the season
15: Number of kills junior Bailey Webster launched, the highest number of kills on the team

Set by set:

Set One

Bailey Webster’s three subsequent kills at the beginning of the set gave way to more powerful swats and slaps from the Longhorns along with four service aces. One final explosive kill by sophomore Haley Eckerman led to set point, as Texas concluded the set, 25-4.

Set Two

Four straight Texas points and two back-to-back kills by sophomore Khat Bell launched the second set, which included 10.5 Webster points. The set ended on Bell’s kill, 25-11.

Set Three

After an initial Webster kill, Colgate inched up closer to Texas and upped the score. Two back-to-back Bell kills allowed Texas to pull away, 14-9, as freshman middle blocker Sara Hattis stepped in, launching a kill of her own as well as a double-block with junior setter Hannah Allison. The Longhorns completed the sweep at 25-15.

Tournament Tidbits

The numbers were in Texas’ favor: in first round NCAA matches, the Longhorns are 24-0 and have appeared in 29 NCAA tournaments. Starting in 1982, the Longhorns earned their spots in 18 straight NCAA tournaments. Only two other teams, Penn State and Florida, have advanced to the NCAA third round seven times in the past eight years.

Up Next:

After defeating North Carolina State, the Texas A&M Aggies will find themselves once again facing their rival Longhorns. The two Texas schools play at 7 p.m. in Gregory Gym, preceded by a Fan Fest from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Gregory plaza in honor of the game.

Printed on Friday, November 30, 2012 as: Efficient offense leads Texas over Colgate