Match Results
- #6 Texas def. NC State 3-0, (25-18, 25-15, 25-21)
- Texas improves to 26-2, NC State ends season at 21-12
- Austin, Texas
- Attendance: 3,902
- Match Stats
The Texas Longhorns rolled through NC State to make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament that is set to begin next weekend. This will be the 30th time that the Longhorns have advanced this far into the tournament where they will face off against #13 Utah on December 8 in Palo Alto, California.
NC State kept things close early but Texas forged ahead on runs to take the first set 25-18. In the second, the Wolfpack was only down three points but gave up an 11-4 run that put the Longhorns up 2-0 in the match. The third set was more back-and-forth play with NC State leading most of the set. The Longhorns found their first set of the set at 17-16 and kept their momentum going to take the set and match at 25-21.
Texas led in all statistical categories in the match, with the biggest coming in blocking, as the Longhorns put down 10-2 blocks over the Wolfpack.
Micaya White put down a match-best 13 kills along with nine digs and three blocks while Ebony Nwanebu added another 12 kills. Chiaka Ogbogu posted nine kills in the win while Morgan Johnson blocked seven balls. Cat McCoy picked up a team-best 18 digs.
For NC State, Julia Brown led the offense with 12 kills while Melissa Evans recorded 11. In the backcourt, Emily Harris and Kassie Kasper picked up 21 and 12 digs, respectively.
Press Release
Courtesy of Texas Athletics
Sophomore Micaya White posted a team-high 13 kills to lead No. 2 Texas (26-2, 16-0 Big 12) past NC State (20-12, 15-5 ACC) 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-21) to advance to its 30th NCAA Regional semifinal on Saturday night at Gregory Gym.
The Longhorns will face No. 13 Utah on Friday, Dec. 8 in Palo Alto, Calif.
White’s 13 kills came on 34 swings and only one error for a .353 efficiency, also adding nine digs and three blocks.
Senior Ebony Nwanebu also finished in double-digits with 12 kills, also committing only one error on 24 swings at a .458 clip to lead UT to a strong .366 attack efficiency as a team.
Defensively, Texas turned to the block of junior Morgan Johnson combined with a stalwart backrow paced by senior Cat McCoy. Johnson boasted a match-high seven blocks while libero McCoy tallied 18 digs to lead the Longhorns and hold the Wolfpack to a .132 clip.
Senior Chiaka Ogbogu added nine kills, six digs and three blocks, putting her within one of tying the Texas all-time blocks record. Freshman Lexi Sun joined her with eight kills and three blocks.
Freshman Ashley Shook spun 36 assists, seven digs, two kills, and two blocks in a rounded effort pacing the Longhorns attack.
Texas fought off the Wolfpack early, going up 6-3 on an explosive kill by Ogbogu that brought Gregory Gymnasium to its feet. NC State drew within one point at 15-14, but Texas forced an error and delivered a sharp kill from Sun to widen the score 18-15, forcing an NC State timeout. Following the break, Texas embarked on a dominant 7-3 run to take the set, 25-18, on a double block from Nwanebu and Ogbogu.
NC State battled to record the first three points the second set, but Texas fought back to tie 6-6 on kills by Sun and Ogbogu. The Longhorns took their first lead of the set at 9-8, but wouldn’t lead by more than one until Sun delivered a booming 14-11 kill. Kills from Nwanebu and White propelled the Longhorns on an 11-4 run to finish the set, 25-15.
The third set began with more back-and-forth play before a kill by Sun tied the score 5-5. After falling behind 10-13, Texas found its first lead of the set at 17-16 on a kill by Nwanebu. Match point came on a 24-19 kill by White, and Texas sealed the set 25-21 on a kill by Ogbogu.
With the win, the Longhorns own a 91-31 record in the NCAA Tournament.
Time and television information for Friday’s match will be announced later in the week.
Press Release
Courtesy of NC State Athletics
The NC State volleyball team saw its record-breaking season come to a close Saturday night, as second-ranked Texas Longhorns earned a 3-0 victory inside Gregory Gym to advance to its 12th consecutive NCAA Regional (Sweet 16).
The Wolfpack concludes one of its best seasons in program history with a 21-12 overall record on the year, while the Longhorns have now won 20 consecutive matches to move to 26-2.
NC State earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory versus Oregon State on Friday to have its season end in the second round of the NCAA Championship for the first time in program history.
Quoting Hampton-Keith
Overall thoughts…
“We just had a moment in the locker room where we’re just reflecting and just really proud of our whole season in totality,” said head coach Linda Hampton-Keith. “Obviously our season ends tonight and we’re really sad about that. But when we look at the season as a whole, we’re just so proud of everything we’ve accomplished and the foundation that we’ve laid to build on.”
Quoting the Players
Julia Brown, Sr., OH
“Tonight was a lot of fun. We enjoyed every single moment of it. There was great energy in the gym.
“We’ve had a lot of fun over this season. We’ve made a lot of records for our school and I’m sad it’s over. So thankful, thankful for playing for Coach Linda. I love the team and love the university, so thank you.”
Emily Harris, Sr., L
“It’s been an amazing four years. This season was better than anything I could have ever imagined. Just playing with a group of girls that you love so much and that you care so much about, and every win, you just want to pull it out for them.
“It’s just something that’s really special, so I can’t wait to see how things are going to be in the future for this program.”
Match Rewind
– Julia Brown started the match on a positive note for NC State with a kill from the outside to give the Wolfpack a 1-0 lead.
– A 3-1 run by the Pack trimmed the Longhorns lead to 15-14, but Texas won three of the next four to force an NC State timeout at 18-15.
– Unfortunately, three unanswered points followed for Texas out of the break and they won the opening frame, 25-18.
– NC State raced out to a 3-0 lead in the second set following three consecutive kills from freshman Melissa Evans.
– A ball-handling error by Texas knotted the score at 11-11, but the Longhorns tallied three straight points to grab a 14-11 lead en route to the 25-15 set win.
– Back-to-back kills from Brown started the third set and the Wolfpack pulled ahead, 8-5, after a service ace from Kylie Pickrell to force a Texas timeout.
– NCSU grabbed a 14-11 advantage following Brown’s kill before Texas rallied to even the score at 14 with three successive points.
– With the score tied at 17-17, the Longhorns won the next five rallies to pull away and take a 22-17 lead to earn the third-set victory, 25-21, to clinch the match.
Top Performers
– Brown led the Wolfpack in the match with 12 kills, while Evans also had a strong match with 11.
– At setter, Pickrell handed out 29 assists to go along with nine digs.
– Defensively, Harris tallied a match high 21 digs and Kassie Kasper pitched in with 12.
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