Texas Volleyball Beats Louisville in Thrilling Five-Set Showdown

FORT WORTH, Texas – The No. 2 Texas Volleyball team improved to 5-0 after a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 4 Louisville at the Shriners Children’s Showdown at the Net on September 10, 2025. The match showcased a strong performance by Texas, with a final score of 23-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-22, and 16-14.

Torrey Stafford led the Longhorns with her fourth double-double in five matches, contributing 20 kills and 18 digs, alongside three aces. Freshmen players also stepped up, with notable performances from two teammates who recorded career-high double-digit kills, finishing with 16 and 14 kills, respectively. Junior setter delivered a strong game, surpassing 1,500 career assists with 37 on the night.

The victory marks the third time in head coach Jerritt Elliott’s career that the Longhorns have beaten four ranked teams within their first five matches, having previously accomplished this in 2009 and 2022.

The first set saw Texas fall behind early, dropping it 25-23. Louisville took a commanding 5-0 lead and finished with the final three points despite both teams recording 16 kills.

However, Texas bounced back in the second set, winning 25-16 and holding Louisville to a negative .061 attack percentage. The Longhorns’ defense, led by Stafford with three blocks, proved pivotal as they recorded a total of eight blocks in this set.

Set three was tightly contested, with Louisville claiming a 25-21 win after a crucial seven-point run. Yet, Texas battled back, winning the fourth set 25-22. Spears’ five kills helped lift the Longhorns, as they limited Louisville to just 11 kills.

The decisive fifth set started rough for Texas, but they quickly equalized with a five-point run, eventually sealing the match with a 16-14 win. The Longhorns will host No. 9 Arizona State in their next match on Sunday, September 14, at 2 p.m. in Gregory Gym.