Volleyball: TCU faces Oklahoma and No. 2 Nebraska at Ameritas Players Challenge

The Horned Frogs went 1-1 with a four-set victory over the Sooners.

The TCU women’s volleyball team opened the 2024 season at the Ameritas Players Challenge over the weekend, playing matches against Oklahoma and No. 2 Nebraska. The Horned Frogs tipped off their season with a victory on Friday evening, when TCU defeated the Sooners 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 25-16. The Horned Frogs concluded their weekend against one of the elite programs in the nation, but TCU hung tough and managed to take one set in a 15-25, 23-25, 25-23, 13-25 loss to the Cornhuskers. TCU (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) will return to action in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge, where the Horned Frogs will play Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Friday: TCU 3, Oklahoma 1

Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Melanie Parra shined during TCU’s win over the Sooners on Friday evening, recording 20 kills and a career-best seven aces to lead the Horned Frogs on the attack. Parra, who added nine digs on defense, finished with only two errors and a hitting percentage of .429. Returning All-Big 12 hitter Jalyn Gibson and Oregon transfer Becca Kelley each collected nine kills for the TCU offense, while sophomore setter Lily Nicholson earned herself a double-double with 40 assists and 12 digs. Returning middle hitter Sarah Sylvester notched a team-high four blocks for the Horned Frogs, who closed out the match on a high note with a .417 hitting percentage in the fourth and final set.

Saturday: No. 2 Nebraska 3, TCU 1

The Horned Frogs avoided the sweep with a third-set win against the Cornhuskers, as TCU recorded a match-best .327 hitting percentage and delivered key blocks in the front row. Sarah Sylvester was the catalyst for the Horned Frog defense, notching a team-high nine blocks while Melanie Parra and Becca Kelley each added three blocks. Parra, Kelley and Jalyn Gibson all finished in double figures offensively, with Parra recording 14 kills while Gibson added 11 and Kelley earned 10. Lily Nicholson send out 31 assists and returning libero Cecily Bramschreiber had a team-high 14 digs to anchor the back row. Parra’s 10 digs enabled her to record her first double-double of the 2024 campaign.