The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
4-1
San Diego
4-2
No. 4 Volleyball tops No. 17 San Diego to sweep USD Tournament
09.03.2017 | Volleyball
Junior Morgan Johnson led Texas with a season-high eight blocks.
San Diego, Calif – Junior Morgan Johnson had a team-high eight blocks to lead No. 4 Texas past No. 17 San Diego, 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 25-10, 25-16) in the final match of the USD Tournament on Saturday evening.
Johnson's eight blocks consisted of five block assists and a career-high three solo blocks to pace the Longhorns' defense to a 13-1 block advantage over the Torreros.
Freshman Lexi Sun and sophomore Micaya White led the offensive charge for Texas, combining for 29 of the team's 52 kills. Sun had a career match, posting 16 kills and two errors on 31 swings for a .452 hitting percentage, while White finished with 13 kills with no errors on 32 swings for a .382 clip.
Senior Chiaka Ogbogu also posted double-digit kills with 10, hitting .350, while junior Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani led the Longhorns in hitting percentage, posting six kills on 13 swings with no errors, hitting .462.
Sophomore Autumn Rounsaville and senior libero Cat McCoy led the Longhorns with double-digits digs, recording 14 and 13 digs, respectively. Freshman setter Ashley Shook posted nine digs to go along with her 39 assists.
As a team, Texas hit .399 in all three matches of the USD Tournament and held its opponents to .030, and oublocked all three opponents, 42-5.
Sun was named Most Valuable Player of the weekend, while Ogbogu, Shook, and White joined USD's Kaity Edwards, Kristen Gengenbacher, and Jayden Kennedy on the All-Tournament team.
The matchup between the USD Tournament's two undefeated teams began with a fast start from the Toreros, giving the home team a 10-5 lead. Though Texas cut the deficit to as little as four points following a timeout at 13-5, San Diego maintained their lead through to a final set score of 25-20.
With the teams trading points through a keenly contested beginning to the second set, Sun blasted a kill to give the Longhorns a lead at 12-11. A block from Johnson on the subsequent point extended that lead, springing a 13-8 run for Texas to take the set second, 25-19.
After tying the match score up at one set apiece, the Longhorns pressed on to take a 10-5 lead to start the third frame. With White breaking the double-digit kill mark on the match, Texas rose to a .400 hitting percentage and nine team blocks for the set, surging to take the set, 25-10.
Paced by Johnson at the net and opposite hitters White and Sun on the outside, Texas had earned a 17-10 lead before San Diego took a timeout to pause the fourth set. With the Longhorns pushing on to match point at 24-15, San Diego pulled one point back before Ogbogu's tenth kill secured victory.
The Horns will open their home season at Gregory Gym on Thursday, Sept. 7 with Denver and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before hosting No. 2 Minnesota on Friday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. All three matches will be televised on Longhorn Network.
