FORT WORTH, Texas – HCU got the day off on the right foot, opening the TCU Invitational with a win over Texas before falling to the host Horned Frogs, the No. 5 team in the nation, on Friday at the TCU Beach Beach Volleyball Courts.
In the 8:30 a.m. match vs. the Longhorns (5-6), the Huskies (8-19) reversed their fortunes from the last time the two teams met on March 20 with a 3-2 victory.
Lauren Vickery and
Kylann Griffith picked up the first point at the fives, earning a three-set win (19-21, 21-13, 15-11), before
Mary Alper and
Tatum Lockhardt also won in three sets (17-21, 21-19, 16-14) at the fours. Texas evened the score at 2-2 with wins at the ones and threes, leaving HCU's No. 2 pair of
Kristin Gilmour and
Rachel Heilbrun playing the deciding point. The two freshmen came through to secure the win in two sets (21-18, 21-16).
In their second dual of the day, vs. TCU (20-5), all five matches were decided in two sets.
Paige Palmer and
Audrey Pearce, playing as the No. 3 pair for the Huskies, fell, 21-17, 21-16, while Alper and Lockhardt played the closest set of the dual (21-12, 24-22) in their loss at the fours.
HCU returns to the sand Saturday, Apr. 6, morning against No. 11 Hawaii at 8:30 a.m. before facing Texas again at 11:00 a.m.
