NCAA Women
December 17, 2023
By Joey Johnston for VolleyballMag.com
TAMPA — On match point, as she prepared for the potentially clinching serve, Texas middle blocker Asjia O’Neal said she had one thought.
“I said to myself, ‘I’m going to get an ace and we’re going to win it right here,’ ‘’ O’Neal said. “Then it all happened in front of me. I think I saw it, then closed my eyes.’’
O’Neal’s resounding ace deflected off the outstretched arms of Nebraska’s Harper Murray, giving the Longhorns a stunning (and stunningly efficient) 25-22, 25-14, 25-11 victory in Sunday’s NCAA championship match before a record 19,727 fans at Amalie Arena.
After her season-high fifth ace, O’Neal slowly sunk to the ground, almost in disbelief, before rushing to join her jubilant teammates.
“Like an out-of-body experience,’’ O’Neal said.
The entire season was like that for O’Neal, who said she was “90-10’’ on leaving college to turn professional after the Longhorns had captured the 2022 national title. But the joyous camaraderie of the Longhorn team pulled her back for a sixth season.
And that didn’t turn out so well in the beginning of this season. The Longhorns…
