The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Stanford
No. 2 Stanford sweeps past No. 5 Volleyball at Nike Big Four Classic
09.10.2010 | Volleyball
Sept. 10, 2010
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The fifth-ranked Texas Volleyball team suffered its second loss of the season to a top-five team as it fell, 3-0 to No. 2 Stanford in the first match of the Nike Big Four Volleyball Classic, Friday night. The Longhorns' 25-16, 25-11, 25-21 loss dropped UT to 5-2 on the year, while the Cardinal improved to 6-0 overall. The sweep marked the first time Texas has been swept twice in a season since, suffering two 3-0 losses in 2006.
In the first, Texas came out red hot, using a 7-1 run fueled by a pair of service aces from sophomore opposite hitter Sha'Dare McNeal to take an 11-5 advantage. The Horns capped the run on a service miscue, but Stanford took over the set from that point on. The Cardinal answered immediately by mounting a 20-5 set-closing run aided by six Texas attack errors that propelled them to a 25-16 set win.
Stanford leapt out to an early 9-3 lead in the second frame with a pair of kills by Hayley Spellman leading the charge. Texas battled back to shrink the margin to 15-9 on a double-block by senior All-America outside hitter Juliann Faucette and junior middle blocker Rachael Adams, but failed to close the gap any further. Stanford responded quickly with a 10-2 run headlined by a kill and two blocks from middle blocker Stephanie Browne to close out the set, 25-11.
In the third, the Horns overcame an early deficit to claim a lead at the 7-6 mark on a kill by senior middle blocker Jennifer Doris. Texas briefly surrendered the lead before playing its way back into the lead on a double-block by Adams and freshman setter Hannah Allison that put UT ahead, 18-17. The Longhorns kept the tally close down the stretch, but the Cardinal went on a 5-2 run and won the deciding-set, 25-21.
Faucette highlighted the Texas offense with six kills in the loss, while McNeal chipped in four kills, a team-best nine digs and two service aces.
Texas resumes play at the Nike Big Four Classic on Saturday, Sept. 11 when it takes on the loser of the No.1 Penn State/No. 4 Florida match. If the Horns play the Gators they will play at 3:30 p.m. Central and if they meet the Nittany Lions they will play at 5:30 p.m. Central.
POST-MATCH QUOTES
Head coach Jerritt Elliott
Opening statement: That was a frustrating match for us as as we go through some growing pains and work to find our identity a little bit as a team. I thought we gave ourselves a better shot in game three, fought a lot harder than in games one and two. We were in position to at least give ourselves an opportunity to extend that match. Overall, we just did not perform at the level we are capable of and it is disappointing and frustrating.
On Stanford's big run in set one: It's a lot of things, it's confidence, it's team unity, it's playing the systems we have and having the confidence in it. We did not touch the ball very well, passing was not crisp, our setting was not crisp, our hitting was not crisp and we ended up wearing it on our sleeve, folding and just letting them have that opportunity to go on that big run.
On tomorrow's match: There is no choice, this is what we set this up for, to continue to grow and learn and find the right personnel that can play next to each other and develop that. Physically we can play with anybody, it's just a matter of finding the right group that can play with one another and the right players we can put next to each other to come up with the right line-up.
Senior outside hitter Juliann Faucette
On the lack of communication: Every senior has responsibilities and I think it's a little bit different that we only have two. I mean we have a transfer (Lauren Dickson) who is a senior, but two that have been here. It is definitely hard. It felt as though we were not communicating, that is what it looked like and it is something we have to keep working on and grow. It is a good thing its still the beginning, still preseason, we still have a lot to grow from here.
Junior middle blocker Rachael Adams
On the size of Stanford: They do have some big players on their team, which made it hard to kind of find our rhythm, we had to swing high, we had to go hard every time. We had a good game plan, we just need to execute it with confidence.
