TicketsFORT COLLINS, Colo. – University of Cincinnati volleyball put forth a gritty performance to beat TCU 3-2 Saturday night. After taking the first set 25-23, UC dropped the next two by scores of 25-21 and 25-17. Then, the Bearcats answered with a 25-17 set four victory and won the final set 16-14 to take the match.
// NOTES
• UC improves to 4-1 while TCU is now 4-2 on the season
• Thompson nearly had thirty kills for the second straight match as she finished with 29
• She also had 19 digs to record a double-double
• Jade Tingelhoff also had a double-double with 47 assists and ten digs
• Abby Williams led the team in digs with 20
• Carly Nolan reached double digits in kills with 13 while hitting .324 on 34 attempts
• Dasha Cabarkapa totaled a team-high four blocks
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENTS
"To have to play the first match of the morning and then have to play again in the evening, two matches in a row in one day is tough. The mental toughness that we showed from every single person on our team was incredible. We had a lot of people contribute tonight. Our mental toughness, I think that's a credit to our experience. We have a lot of senior experience on the court. Jade stepped up vocally and physically and made some great plays for us. Abby made some great digs. We made some adjustments late that we didn't do sooner in the match. What a tough-fought match physically and mentally against a very strong TCU team."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-23
The Bearcats took an early lead, going up by as much as three early after a kill from Cabarkapa. From there, they never looked back. Three straight points via a Kostelac kill, Nolan kill and TCU attack error forced the Horned Frogs to take a break at 16-8. Thompson, Jones and Kostelac contributed kills late but TCU answered with a 5-0 run to make it a close finish. A block by Cabarkapa and Nolan ended it in favor of the Bearcats.
Set 2: TCU, 25-21
The Horned Frogs took a 6-4 lead but the Bearcats answered with a kill courtesy of Thompson. TCU went on to lead by one before UC would tie it on the next point. Finally, Nolan broke a 10-10 tie with a kill and Abby Williams followed with an ace to give UC a two-point advantage for the first time in the set. However, the Frogs came back and went up by four, 18-14. The Bearcats went on a 3-0 run of their own to cause a TCU timeout. UC would not be able to get much closer as the Frogs finished out the set with a kill to tie the match 1-1.
Set 3: TCU, 25-17
TCU strung together four straight points to take a 5-2 advantage in the beginning of the third set. The Bearcats kept it close until the Frogs went on a 5-0 run to lead by six, 19-13. That streak ended with a kill by Mallon from Tingelhoff. UC was able to score back-to-back points on a Nolan kill and TCU attack error, but the Frogs would complete the set victory on a kill.
Set 4: UC, 25-17
After the Frogs took the opening point, Thompson came on strong for two straight kills and Nolan followed with an ace. Two more points off a Tingelhoff kill and TCU attack error allowed UC to go up 9-4. TCU kept it close and tied the set at 15. Thompson broke the tie with a kill and followed that up with back-to-back aces to put the UC lead at three. The Bearcats cruised to the end, scoring five of the last six points to send the match to the deciding fifth set.
Set 5: UC, 16-14
TCU scored the first two points of the set by Thompson and Cabarkapa had kills on the next two plays to tie it up. Another Thompson kill tied it again at five and a block by Cabarkapa and Tingelhoff put the Bearcats ahead. Out of an 8-8 tie, two errors by the Frogs and a block by Nolan gave UC a three-point advantage. TCU came back to tie it at 13 and 14, but two attack errors ended the match as UC captured the victory.
// NEXT MATCH.
The Bearcats finish the weekend facing Florida State on Sunday at noon EST.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all of the latest information on Cincinnati volleyball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up to the minute updates, follow Cincinnati Volleyball (@GoBearcatsVB) and Coach Alvey (@CoachAlveyUC) on twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook (GoBearcatsVB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsVB).
// NOTES
• UC improves to 4-1 while TCU is now 4-2 on the season
• Thompson nearly had thirty kills for the second straight match as she finished with 29
• She also had 19 digs to record a double-double
• Jade Tingelhoff also had a double-double with 47 assists and ten digs
• Abby Williams led the team in digs with 20
• Carly Nolan reached double digits in kills with 13 while hitting .324 on 34 attempts
• Dasha Cabarkapa totaled a team-high four blocks
// COACH ALVEY'S COMMENTS
"To have to play the first match of the morning and then have to play again in the evening, two matches in a row in one day is tough. The mental toughness that we showed from every single person on our team was incredible. We had a lot of people contribute tonight. Our mental toughness, I think that's a credit to our experience. We have a lot of senior experience on the court. Jade stepped up vocally and physically and made some great plays for us. Abby made some great digs. We made some adjustments late that we didn't do sooner in the match. What a tough-fought match physically and mentally against a very strong TCU team."
// SET BREAKDOWN
Set 1: UC, 25-23
The Bearcats took an early lead, going up by as much as three early after a kill from Cabarkapa. From there, they never looked back. Three straight points via a Kostelac kill, Nolan kill and TCU attack error forced the Horned Frogs to take a break at 16-8. Thompson, Jones and Kostelac contributed kills late but TCU answered with a 5-0 run to make it a close finish. A block by Cabarkapa and Nolan ended it in favor of the Bearcats.
Set 2: TCU, 25-21
The Horned Frogs took a 6-4 lead but the Bearcats answered with a kill courtesy of Thompson. TCU went on to lead by one before UC would tie it on the next point. Finally, Nolan broke a 10-10 tie with a kill and Abby Williams followed with an ace to give UC a two-point advantage for the first time in the set. However, the Frogs came back and went up by four, 18-14. The Bearcats went on a 3-0 run of their own to cause a TCU timeout. UC would not be able to get much closer as the Frogs finished out the set with a kill to tie the match 1-1.
Set 3: TCU, 25-17
TCU strung together four straight points to take a 5-2 advantage in the beginning of the third set. The Bearcats kept it close until the Frogs went on a 5-0 run to lead by six, 19-13. That streak ended with a kill by Mallon from Tingelhoff. UC was able to score back-to-back points on a Nolan kill and TCU attack error, but the Frogs would complete the set victory on a kill.
Set 4: UC, 25-17
After the Frogs took the opening point, Thompson came on strong for two straight kills and Nolan followed with an ace. Two more points off a Tingelhoff kill and TCU attack error allowed UC to go up 9-4. TCU kept it close and tied the set at 15. Thompson broke the tie with a kill and followed that up with back-to-back aces to put the UC lead at three. The Bearcats cruised to the end, scoring five of the last six points to send the match to the deciding fifth set.
Set 5: UC, 16-14
TCU scored the first two points of the set by Thompson and Cabarkapa had kills on the next two plays to tie it up. Another Thompson kill tied it again at five and a block by Cabarkapa and Tingelhoff put the Bearcats ahead. Out of an 8-8 tie, two errors by the Frogs and a block by Nolan gave UC a three-point advantage. TCU came back to tie it at 13 and 14, but two attack errors ended the match as UC captured the victory.
// NEXT MATCH.
The Bearcats finish the weekend facing Florida State on Sunday at noon EST.
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all of the latest information on Cincinnati volleyball, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up to the minute updates, follow Cincinnati Volleyball (@GoBearcatsVB) and Coach Alvey (@CoachAlveyUC) on twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Facebook (GoBearcatsVB) and Instagram (GoBearcatsVB).