FORT WORTH, Texas ? The University of New Orleans volleyball team got off to a hot start at the Molten/La Quinta Inn Invitational, but host-TCU caught fire in taking a 3-1 win (24-30, 30-19, 30-20, 30-23) over the Privateers on Friday.
Lauren Otto had 18 kills and 14 digs, while Kourtney Edwards tallied 10 kills and a match-high eight block assists as the Horned Frogs (7-1) won their seventh match in eight outings this year.
Lindsey Loyd had a match-high 20 kills on 59 swings to pace UNO (3-5), and Lindsey Boler had 16 kills. UNO did record eight blocks and 69 total digs, but the Horned Frogs used a .296 hitting percentage to take the win.
UNO could not make a mistake early, hitting .349 in the first game to take a quick 1-0 lead. But TCU controlled the next two sets and hit .410 in a commanding third-game win. The Horned Frogs closed it out with a .455 hitting percentage in the final game.
TCU committed just four attack errors in the final two games.
Nicky Valenti led UNO with 16 digs, while Loyd added 15. Lauren Loeffelholz (13) and Bethany Kern (13) each added double-figure digs.
The Privateers will continue tournament play with two matches on Saturday, beginning with a 9:30 a.m. matchup with Lamar. UNO will close out the event at 5 p.m. against Georgia Southern.
