Colorado State University Athletics
CSU volleyball falls in five at TCU
11/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 15, 2007
FORT WORTH, Texas - The Horned Frogs weren't willing to take it easy on CSU during their final home match. The Rams lost in five (30-22, 22-30, 30-22, 28-30, 16-18) hard fought games in a match that lasted 2 hours and 33 minutes. Jaime Strauss, outside hitter for the Rams, landed 28 kills on 81 hits.
CSU lost the first point of Game 1, but quickly got the ball back off a kill from hitter Danielle Minch. Both teams kept the score close through the game, neither taking a lead of more than four points until setter Ashley Fornstrom dropped the ball over the net for a kill that put CSU ahead with a score of 27-22. The Rams never looked back from that point and won Game 1 with a score of 30-22. Middle blocker Mekana Barnes hit .625, with hitter Tessa Nelson close behind, hitting .500. CSU's defensive effort held TCU to a hitting percentage of .200.
The Rams dropped Game 2 by a score of 22-30. CSU never led in the game, and only tied it once at 12 points. The team was able to stay within three points until TCU took a 23-19 lead, and continued that trend for the remainder of the game. TCU held the Rams to a hitting percentage of .186. Strauss took initiative, though, and led with a game-high four kills on 13 hits. She also tied libero Katelin Batten for digs, each getting five. Batten played very alert and saved several difficult balls.
CSU came out ready to play in Game 3. The Rams never trailed, and after TCU had its only tie of the game at the first point, CSU led for the remainder of the time. The team notched 23 kills, eight of those coming from Strauss, six from Barnes and five from Nelson, who had no errors and hit .714 for the game. With another great defensive effort, the Rams held TCU to only .098 for their hitting percentage.
Game 4 went down to the wire. CSU led from point 12, but TCU fought back to take a one-point lead near the end of the game, 29-28, eventually winning the game 30-28. Strauss again led the Rams with six kills, but the Horned Frog's 30 digs to CSU's 19 helped them overcome the offensive effort of the Rams. Earlier in the game, at a score of 27-24, when CSU had the serve, the lights in the gym went out, forcing a time out on the floor while TCU personnel resolved the issue.
Even a fifth game in itself wasn't enough to end this matchup, with both teams forcing the game into extra points. CSU tied the game at 14 after a net violation on TCU, but couldn't hold on, eventually losing 16-18.
CSU finished hitting .240 with 82 team kills. Strauss wasn't the only Ram in double figures. Barnes (20), Nelson (13) and Minch (11) also contributed to the offense. Fornstrom had 70 assists, and Batten led the defense with 22 digs.
LeMeita Smith led TCU's offense with 17 kills on 42 attempts. As a team, TCU hit .193. Nirelle Hampton had 50 assists, as well as 25 of the 96 digs for the Horned Frogs.
CSU continues their road trip on Sat., Nov. 17 when they play at New Mexico at 4 p.m. MST.