FORT WORTH, Texas – The Auburn volleyball team capped the ADD-RAN Cup with a tough 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 19-25, 25-16, 16-14) loss to host TCU Sunday afternoon in Fort Worth, Texas.
"The thing for us is to keep getting better each match," head coach Rick Nold said. "I thought we battled. I thought we made good adjustments. We play aggressively, which is what I want to wanted to see, especially in our serving. I was really happy with the impact we were having there."
The Tigers put together another solid performance from the service line, totaling 11 service aces as a team. Sophomore Val Green led the way with a career-high four on the day, while sophomore Tatum Shipes and freshman Molly Pember each chipped in two.
"We've got to find ways to use Val's serve as a weapon," Nold added. "Today, we wanted to make sure that we did that. She made an impact."
Four Tigers finished in double-digit kills with senior Enija Bidzane totaling 14 to lead the squad. Shipes and junior Chesney McClellan added 12 apiece, while Green finished with 10.
Sophomore setter Marissa Hines recorded her team-leading fourth double-double, having a match-high 44 assists with 11 digs. Junior libero Payton White led all student-athletes with 19 digs and sophomore Bella Rosenthall chipped in 10.
Auburn continues its road swing with a trip up north to Michigan. The Tigers will compete in Kalamazoo, Mich., Sept. 20-21 and will face Michigan State, host Western Michigan and IUPUI over the two days.
SET ONE
Hines got up for her first solo block of the season to tie the frame at 5-all. A big swing from Green drew the Tigers back within one, and back-to-back kills by Shipes from the back row pushed Auburn ahead at 16-15. TCU answered back with a 5-1 charge to jump up 20-17. Two-straight aces from Green put the Tigers within three, but the Horned Frogs went on to take the opening stanza, 25-21.
SET TWO
The Tigers came out hot in the second, jumping out to a 6-0 advantage behind TCU errors and an ace from P. White. Auburn held its with Shipes picking up the Tigers' fifth ace of the match, 17-11. The visitors never relented and closed out the set with a 25-19 victory.
SET THREE
Auburn answered a TCU run to open the set with a 6-1 push to go up by two at 6-4. Kills from S. White and Shipes put the Tigers up 16-13. Auburn went on a 5-0 charge to get to set point behind Green's fourth ace of the contest. Bidzane went cross-court for her ninth kill, putting the Tigers up 2-1 in the match with another 25-19 win.
SET FOUR
The Horned Frogs got out to a 13-7 advantage behind a handful of Auburn miscues. Kills from McClellan and Shipes brought the stanza to 15-11 TCU, but the Tigers would not get any closer as the home team forced a deciding set, 25-16.
SET FIVE
A kill from McClellan followed by a pair of TCU errors led to a quick 3-1 advantage for the Tigers. The teams exchanged a pair of two-point pushes before a 5-0 run lifted Auburn to a 10-6 lead. TCU used momentum from the crowd to tie the set at 11-all and Auburn errors gave the home team match point, 14-13. The Horned Frogs went on to win, 16-14.