TCU Volleyball Cruises Past NJIT, 3-0
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The TCU volleyball is off to a 2-0 start in the Seton Hall Invitational after another dominating performance as the Horned Frogs defeated NJIT, 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-16). Kristen Hester led with 14 kills, while Sarah Joeckel notched 24 digs.
Jordan Raines finished the match with 10 kills and seven digs. Stephanie Holland and Yvonne Igodan tallied six kills each. Megan Munce dished out 31 assists and served up a team-high two aces. Sloane Sunstrum finished the match with four kills and 10 digs. Holland and Mattie Burleson tied for the team-high with two blocks each.
In the first set, the Frogs and the Highlanders battled through five ties before the Horned Frogs eventually came away with the 25-22 victory. With the Highlanders leading 5-4, the Frogs went on a 12-5 run to open up a 16-10 lead. Kills from Hester, Holland, Raines and Igodan spurred the early run.
Holding onto a seven-point advantage, NJIT put together a 5-1 run to pull back within three, 22-19. The Frogs saw the Highlanders pull even closer, 23-22, but a kill by Igodan gave the Frogs set point. Raines ended the set with a kill.
It was all TCU in the second set as it opened up a commanding 2-0 match lead. Sunstrum was huge in an early 5-1 run as she blasted a pair of kills and served the Frogs to the nice lead. A service ace by Munce pushed the lead to seven, 10-3.
Joeckel stepped behind the service line with the Frogs ahead 12-5 and helped push the lead to double-digits, 16-5. Hester, Holland and Igodan knocked down kills in the run. Holland teamed with Burleson on a block on the outside to give TCU a 23-9 lead and a kill from Raines gave the Frogs set point. Holland finished off the 25-11 set two win with her third kill of the set.
The Frogs finished off the sweep with a 25-16 set three victory. TCU jumped out to the early lead, only to see the Highlanders comeback to tie the set at five. An attacking error by NJIT put the Frogs in front to stay. Munce, Raines and Burleson blasted kills and the Highlanders had a few hitting errors that helped the Frogs build a 15-10 lead.
Holding a five-point lead, 18-13, the Frogs put together a devastating 6-3 run that gave TCU set point. Burleson, Hester Raines and Holland all tallied kills in the run and Hester finished off the victory with her 14th kill of the match.
TCU improves to 12-0 on the season. The Frogs will wrap up play in the tournament on Saturday afternoon when they square off against the host institution, Seton Hall, at 1 p.m. (CST).
