Match Stats
- White Team def. Orange Team 4-0, (28-26, 25-16, 25-23, 15-7)
- Gregory Gym – Austin, Texas
- Box Score
The White Team was stacked on their way to a sweep over the Orange Team in Texas volleyball’s annual scrimmage at Gregory Gym.
Among those that showed what they are made of is freshman Lexi Sun who had 22 kills on a .318 hitting percentage while also adding 12 digs for a double-double in her first unofficial showing for the Longhorns. Sun was named as the Gatorade National Player of the Year and was the top-ranked commitment in the country. Additionally, for the white team, Micaya White and Chiaka Ogbogu each contributed 11 kills apiece. Both also contributed high hitting percentages with White posting a .345 and Ogbogu with a .421 clip. Ogbogu is making her return after sitting out of the 2016 season due to academic reasons.
From the back line for the white team, Cat McCoy picked up 23 digs while Ashley Shook dished out 45 assists. One player for the white team that did not make much of a contribution during the scrimmage was Ebony Nwanebu who posted 423 kills in 2016. During the scrimmage, she posted just one kills with a -0.125 hitting clip.
The Orange team struggled on offense, posting just 34 kills to the white teams 60. Leading that pack was Texas’ volunteer assistant Rachael Kidder with seven kills, while Brionne Butler, a freshman, put down four while also contributing five blocks. Riley Fisbeck handed out 29 assists and 10 digs for a double-double.
The orange team was lined up with former players and Texas volleyball staff, while the white team was a more open look at what the Longhorn lineup could look like this coming season.
Last season, Texas finished just short of the national title, losing to a strong, youthful Stanford squad in the finals. The team did not lose much of their starting lineup from last season, keeping a core chunk of their top contributors from 2016. For 2017, the team brings in a number of strong players returning or beginning their journey with Texas that will surely propel the team further.
Press Release
Courtesy of Texas Athletics
Three Texas Volleyball players finished with double-digit kills as the white team defeated the orange team, 4-0 (28-26, 25-16, 25-23, 15-7) on Saturday at Gregory Gym.
The scrimmage, featuring Texas Volleyball alumni, was precluded by a one-hour morning kids clinic.
The white team made up of all Texas Volleyball players on the current roster, was led by a double-double from freshman Lexi Sun on her debut at Gregory Gym with 22 kills and 12 digs.
Sophomore Micaya White recorded 11 kills, six assists, and five digs, while junior Morgan Johnson hit .875, posting seven kills.
Freshman Ashley Shook was the white team’s setter for most of the match, posting 45 assists, while senior Cat McCoy had a team-high 23 digs.
Texas volunteer assistant coach Rachel Kidder led the orange team with seven kills, three digs, and one block while Texas Volleyball alumni Haley Eckerman (2011-2014), Amber Roberson (2008-2011), and Gipy Duarte (1998-2001) also participated.
Texas will open its season on Friday, Aug. 25 in Gainesville, Fla. The Longhorns will take on No. 12 Florida at 6 p.m. CT on the SEC Network before facing No. 18 Oregon on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT. on Longhorn Network.
Tickets are available for the Longhorns’ opening home matches at Gregory Gym as part of the American Campus Classic. Texas will clash with No. 4 Minnesota as well as the University of Denver and Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Jerritt Elliott
Thoughts from the scrimmage: It’s the first match and everyone’s playing next to each other trying to get the nerves out. We’re only about a week and a half into practice. We’ve got a lot of things we still have to work on throughout the season. We’ll go back and watch it and learn how we did and go get ready for Florida.
Junior Middle Blocker Morgan Johnson
On the team’s chemistry: It’s been going really well. Usually you get to October and things start coming together and it started coming together really early for us. Everyone loves each other and it’s really like a sisterhood early on. It’s really good for us to get past the chemistry and go straight into the volleyball aspect of it.
Senior Libero Cat McCoy
On Being Compared to the Golden State Warriors: Coach Elliott is trying to mirror us being like the Golden State Warriors in that it’s all about the team. Kevin Durant went to go play for them because he wanted to win a championship. He didn’t care about the individual awards or anything like that. So we’re really focusing on playing for each other. It’s not about anyone specifically, it’s about the whole team.
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