TCU Volleyball's Season Comes to an End Against No. 9 Arkansas

Despite the loss, there is plenty of optimism in Fort Worth for a team that has adopted a winning culture in Year Two under head coach Jason Williams.

Last night, TCU was playing for its first Sweet 16 appearance in program history and came up short against No.9 Arkansas in four sets (18-25, 25-27, 25-23 and 20-25). Going up against a top-10 team in the country was a tall task, but the Frogs gave it their all. 

The Frogs jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the first set and eventually a 14-8 lead off the back of Audrey Nalls and Melanie Parra. The Razorbacks responded swiftly rattling off a 6-0 run tying the game. TCU was able to tie it at 17, but an 8-1 run sealed set one for Arkansas. 

It was a similar theme in Set Two, where TCU jumped out to an 8-4 lead with Sarah Sylvester tallying three blocks. They held multiple leads throughout the set, but the Hogs responded again tying it up at 19 after trailing by four. They would eventually win 27-25.

A pair of kills from Jalyn Gibson put the Frogs up 9-6 in the third set. Just as Arkansas had been doing all game, they came back and jumped to a 19-16 lead. However, TCU punched back with a kill from Gibson, an attack error, a Nalls service ace, and kills from Parra and Sylvester to go up 21-19. They would score four of the last five points to take set three. 

The Razorbacks were finally able to take the lead in the early going, but TCU bounced back in the middle of the set tying it up at 14. The Hogs went on an 11-6 run ending the match with a kill by Taylor Head. 

It was a tough way for the season to end, but it was certainly a successful season for Jason Williams in year two. It's the first time in program history that TCU advanced to the second round in back-to-back seasons. It was also the end of a remarkable career for Audrey Nalls who finished sixth on TCU's all-time kills list with 1,253. Added to that was a tremendous season for Melanie Parra who finished with 482 kills on the season, the most in a single season by a TCU player in the Big 12 era. 

There is plenty to be excited about with TCU volleyball. There is a lot of young talent with Gibson, Sylvester, Nicholson, and Parra all expected to return next season. The Big 12 was very competitive this season, but expect the Horned Frogs to be near the top as Coach Williams is developing a standard of success in Fort Worth. 

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