The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
25-2
Arizona State
20-14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State | 19 | 20 | 22 | 0 |
| Texas | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
No. 6 Volleyball rolls past Arizona State, 3-0
12.05.2014 | Volleyball
Senior Haley Eckerman and sophomore Chiaka Ogbogu led the charge with 10 kills each.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Volleyball (25-2) advanced to its ninth-straight NCAA Regional Semifinal on Friday night with its sweep (25-19, 25-20, 25-22) of Arizona State (20-14) at Gregory Gym.
Senior Haley Eckerman and sophomore Chiaka Ogbogu led the Longhorns with 10 kills each. Ogbogu had 10 kills on 14 attempts with no errors for a game and season high .714 hitting percentage.
Senior Khat Bell posted seven kills and five blocks, while junior Molly McCage added six kills and six blocks.
Sophomore Nicole Dalton led with 19 assists and freshman Cat McCoy had 13 digs.
Neither team could break in front by more than a single point during the early portion of the opening set as both squads battled to a quick 4-4 dead-lock. An Arizona State attack miscue and a block combining Bell and McCage ignited a 5-0 UT run for a 9-4 lead as the Sun Devils were forced to utilize their opening timeout. The break had the desired settling effect for a moment as a kill by junior setter Bianca Arellano ended the Texas spurt. Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, Bell and McCage again set up an impenetrable wall at the net, blocking consecutive swings from junior outside hitter Macey Gardner in improving the advantage to 12-5.
The Maroon & Gold managed to cut the deficit to four at 12-8 via an Arellano stuff and consecutive BreElle Bailey kills and got within 18-15 following a combined Gardner/Whitney Follette block. That was a close as the Sun Devils would get down the stretch, however, as a service miscue and an Eckerman kill restored Texas' five-point lead. An attack error from ASU sophomore outside hitter McKenzie Willey finished off the opening set as UT prevailed 25-19.
The Longhorns took immediate control of the second set, racing to a 4-1 lead by virtue of a pair of kills from Ogbogu and one from sophomore outside hitter Paulina Prieto Cerame. UT continued to pour it on as Eckerman's blast and another combined Bell/McCage stuff expanded the advantage to 8-3.
Arizona State continued to hang tough, however, working to cut its deficit to just one at 15-14 courtesy of a Willey strike and combined Bailey/Follette block. After ASU pulled into a tie at 18-all, Prieto Cerame and McCage blocked a Gardner swing to re-take the momentum. That stuff ignited a UT spurt as an Arizona State hitting error and a Bell blast off the block pushed the lead back to three, forcing a Sun Devil timeout. A McCoy service ace finally finished off a decisive 7-2 run as Texas secured set two, 25-20. Over the opening two sets, UT out-hit ASU by a .231-.066 total and was paced offensively by Ogbogu's seven kills.
Out of the 10-minute break it was Arizona State that held the momentum as Bailey, junior middle blocker Mercedes Binns and Willey powered the Sun Devils to a quick 5-1 advantage. Fresh from a timeout, it was an Ogbogu kill that started UT's battle out of the early hole. Bell followed soon after by blasting home a kill and followed that up with a dink over the block, cutting the Sun Devil lead to just one at 8-7.
The Horns managed to draw even for the first time during the third set at 10-all courtesy of back-to-back ASU hitting errors. Texas soon nabbed its initial lead at 13-11 off an Eckerman blast that landed just inside the court and a combined Eckerman/Ogbogu stuff. The Burnt Orange & White continued its run as a McCage kill and an Ogbogu ace expanded the gap to four at 16-12. The Maroon & Gold fought back within one at 23-22 before the Longhorns successfully managed to close out the sweep (25-22) via Eckerman's 10th kill of the match.
No. 6 Texas now advances on to face either No. 15 national seed Colorado State, Denver or Colorado in NCAA Regional semifinal action on Fri., Dec. 12, at the Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minn. Match time is to be determined.
Texas Notes
-Texas improves to 58-9 in NCAA matches played in Austin. Overall. The Longhorns are now 77-28 in all NCAA matches in 31 appearances.
-Texas is now 7-2 against Arizona State in the all-time series. The Longhorns loss to the Sun Devils 0-3 last season (September 13, 2013).
-The win tonight puts the Longhorns into the Regional Championship for the 20th time in school history and for the ninth season in a row.
-The Longhorns are now 25-2 on the season, marking the 23rd time in school history they have reached the 25 wins.
-The 3-0 victory marked the 17th time this season that Texas has swept its opponent. ----The Longhorns defeated Northwestern State 3-0 last night, making it the first time since 2011 that the Horns did not drop a set in either their first or second round matchup.
-The Longhorns have only dropped 19 sets in 27 matches this season (94 sets), the fewest since 2009. That year, Texas only dropped 9 sets through 27 matches.
-At home, the Horns have only dropped seven sets (45 total sets) this season.
-The Horns out-blocked Northwestern State 10.0-8.0. Texas has out-blocked or matched 25 of its 27 opponents this season.
-Texas held Arizona State to a .131 hitting percentage. The defense has held their opponents under .200 23 times this season, and holds a 15-1 record when doing so.
Nicole Dalton
-Led the team in assists (19) for the 7th time this season.
-Has recoded 15+ assists 19 times this season.
Molly McCage
-Led the team in total blocks (3.0) for the 12th time this season and finished with six kills on the night.
Haley Eckerman
-Notched double-digit kills (10 kills) for the 17th time this season and 12 out of the last 13 matches.
-Led the team in kills (tied Ogbogu with 10) for the 16th time this season and 10 out of the last 13 matches
-Had a team high 13.0 points in the win. Marked the eighth time that she has lead the team in points in games at Gregory Gym in 14 contests (stat not kept at away games).
-Led the team in service aces (2) for the 15th time this season.
Cat McCoy
-Recorded double-digit digs (13) for the 20th time.
-Led the team in digs for the 22nd time this season.
Chiaka Ogbogu
-Tied for the team lead in kills (10), while hitting a season-high .714.
-Finished with 12.5 points in the match, second only behind Eckerman (13.0)
(UT)
