Horsfall Reaches 2,000 Career Digs in Five-Set Loss at SMU

Friday, October 4

Dallas, Texas

7:00 pm

Tulsa

SMU

7-6

Tulsa

SMU

Photo by: Dave Crenshaw

Horsfall Reaches 2,000 Career Digs in Five-Set Loss at SMU

10/4/2019 10:51:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score
DALLAS – Senior libero Taylor Horsfall recorded her 2,000th career dig on Friday night, as the Tulsa volleyball fell at SMU, 3-2 [25-18, 13-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-17].

The loss is the first for the Golden Hurricane (9-7, 2-1 The American) in the American Athletic Conference. The Mustangs (8-5, 1-2 The American) snapped their three-game losing streak. It was also the Mustang's third straight contest that went five sets.

Friday's match was arguably Tulsa's most competitive match of the season. Tulsa trailed by as much as three points early on in the opening set. But an 8-1 TU run and key defensive stops helped the Golden Hurricane take 1-0 lead in the match. Down 10-9, Tulsa would use its scoring run to lead to by as much as six points in the game.

Dilara Gedikoglu connected on a pair of swings, while Maddie Rhoder recorded her lone kill in the set. Rhoder made her mark defensively in the first set, ending with a solo block and five block assists. Her solo block and two block assists coming during the Tulsa's run. In Tulsa's last outing vs. ECU, the senior opposite hitter set a career-high eight block assists in the win.

After SMU knotted the match in the second set, the Golden Hurricane came out with a strong start to the third set. Rhoder and Maggie Hembree registered two kills apiece, while Gedikoglu found an opening to put Tulsa up 5-1 early. SMU would cut the Golden Hurricane lead to one at 7-6, but TU answered with four of the next five points. Tulsa's second 4-1 scoring run of the set gave the Golden Hurricane their largest lead in the game at 16-11. The Mustangs rallied off five consecutive points to force a tie at 16-16. They would later lead 22-19 when a Gedikoglu kill and back-to-back Horsfall service aces pinned both teams at 22.

Neither team led by more than two points in the fourth set. What helped the Golden Hurricane ultimately force a fifth set was their 4-1 run to end the game. Hembree found an opening, followed by a kill and solo block from Callie Cook. Kayley Cassaday connected on her swing to capture the set and knot the match at 2-2.

The fifth set started just like the previous four with Tulsa taking a 1-0 lead. However, the Golden Hurricane jumped out to a 4-0 advantage. A 6-2 run later in the set would increase Tulsa's lead to five points. SMU retaliated with six of the ensuing seven points forcing the first tie of the set at 12-12. SMU would capture its first lead in the game at 14-13.

Tulsa found success hitting the ball over the final two sets. Combined, the Golden Hurricane connected on 26 swings with seven errors on 70 attempts with a .271 attacking percentage.

SMU edged Tulsa in kills (61-58), and assists (59-57), but led in digs (88-67). The Golden Hurricane held a 14-12 advantage in total blocks, while both teams had four service aces apiece.

Horsfall ended the match with a game-high 28 digs. She entered the match just one dig shy of her 2,000th career dig. Horsfall became the third Golden Hurricane in program history to reach the plateau. She also had three service aces.

Gedikoglu led all players with 20 kills, to go with nine digs. The freshman outside hitter has now tallied 20+ kills in four matches this season.

Cook ended with 10 kills and four blocks (one solo block and six block assists). Hembree totaled 4.5 blocks (a career-high nine block assists). Rhoder also had 4.5 blocks (one solo block and seven block assists).

Roosa Rautio tied her season-high of 30 assists. Mariah Pardo chipped in 19 assists. Maddie Flora had 10 digs.

The Golden Hurricane will now head to Memphis (11-4) to face the Tigers on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. Memphis has now played in three straight five-set contests and is on a four-game skid.