No. 4 Volleyball rolls past Utah, 3-0
Sept. 5, 2008
LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- The fourth-ranked Texas Volleyball team hit at a season-best .438 clip as it swept past Utah, Friday evening at the New Mexico State Volleyball Classic. Sophomore outside hitter Juliann Faucette and junior outside hitter Destinee Hooker highlighted the Longhorns' 25-16, 25-15, 25-15 win with 10 and 13 kills, respectively. Junior outside hitter Destinee Hooker erupted for seven kills in the first set to key an early lead and put the Longhorns ahead, one set to none. Texas leapt out to an early 5-2 lead behind a 4-0 run and pushed its lead to nine at the 21-12 mark on a kill by sophomore middle blocker Jennifer Doris. The Horns maintained their edge and eventually closed out the set, 25-16 on a kill by freshman setter Michelle Kocher. In the second set, Texas used an early 10-2 run fueled by two kills from sophomore outside hitter Juliann Faucette to claim a 12-5 advantage. The Utes trimmed the lead to four, but a 7-1 UT run capped by a Paolini solo block pushed the Horns' lead to 10 at the 23-13 mark. A pair of kills down the stretch by senior All-American Lauren Paolini sealed the Longhorns' 25-15 second set victory. Texas sprung out of the gate in the third stanza, taking advantage of three kills by Hooker and a pair of kills from Engle and Faucette to grab a 17-5 lead. After opening the frame on a tear, head coach Jerritt Elliott worked senior defensive specialist Kiley Hall and freshman outside hitter Amber Roberson into the lineup and they along with the UT starters lifted the Horns to a 25-15 set win.
The Longhorns return to action at 8 p.m. Central on Saturday, Sept. 6 when they resume play against New Mexico State. NOTES |
|
