Tech Hosts Final Home Match Against Kansas
November 23, 2004 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 23, 2004
LUBBOCK, Texas - Tech will host the Kansas Jayhawks this Wed., Nov.24, at 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena in its final home match of the season. Tech looks to continue its success after defeating the No.20 Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday in Manhattan, as the Red Raiders will also take this week to honor their three seniors in their last home match of their careers.
Tech's Daneen Grisham, Laura Grote and Kelly Johnson will suit up for the last time for a home match for the Red Raiders this weekend as they will be honored before the match.
Tech is coming off a huge upset over the Wildcats in Manhattan, its first win this season over a ranked opponent and first win against Kansas State in Manhattan in school history. The Red Raiders were able to recover from a 2-0 deficit going into the intermission to come back and stun the Wildcats with three-straight game wins. The Raiders battled back behind the arms of Kelly Johnson who pounded down 33 kills in the winning effort.
Sophomore Kiley Lyons and Brianna Florus joined their teammate in the double-digit kills arena with 10 apiece. Senior Laura Grote dished out 67 assists in the effort to lead the Red Raiders over the ranked Wildcats.
Kansas enters the match after posting an upset of its own. The Jayhawks were able to sweep the Texas A&M Aggies at home after losing two-straight matches to top-25 teams. The Jayhawks were able to sneak away the win with scores of 30-28, 32-30 and 31-29.
The Jayhawks were able to derail the Aggies who were at the back end of a tough schedule that saw three-straight ranked opponents beginning with a match against No.3 Nebraska, then No.11 Texas and finishing at home against No.13 A&M.
Overall Johnson leads the Red Raiders with 4.96 kills per game, which currently stands second in the conference in the same category. Carrying the defensive load for Tech is junior Desiree Batista who ranks fifth in the Big 12 with an average of 3.99 digs per-game. Batista also holds the third-place position in aces per-game in the conference with 36 total and a .51 average in league play.
Kansas was able to overcome their opponent with a balanced offense that saw four Jayhawks post double-digit kills in the winning effort. Josi Lima led the charge with 16 kills, followed by Paula Caten and Jana Correa with 11 kills apiece.
Yet it would be the errors that would give the edge to unranked KU who committed 10 fewer errors at net than their Aggie foes. A&M, who out dug the Jayhawks by six digs and put down the same amount of kills, actually led in every other area of the game but errors which would turn out to be their demise at the end.
In the first meeting between the two teams, Tech was unable to overcome the Jayhawks who were at the time ranked 21st in the nation. Kansas posted 54 kills to Tech's 36 while also lighting up the back row with 71 digs to the Red Raiders 37. Tech's inability to get their offense up and running led to a dismal hitting efficiency that was below a .10 which was dominated by the Jayhawks who tallied a .236 on the night.
Tech leads the overall series 12-6 against the Jayhawks and is 6-2 against Kansas while on its home court. Tech currently has lost the last three meetings against KU, with the last time the Red Raiders posting a win over Kansas coming in 2002 at home behind a 3-0 sweep.
The two team's second and final regular season match up is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena on Wednesday.
For tickets to Texas Tech volleyball, please contact (888) GO-BIG-12 or (806) 742-TECH or stop by the Texas Tech Athletic Ticket Office in the north end of Jones SBC Stadium. Tickets also can be purchased through the Texas Tech athletic website at www.texastech.com and at area United
