No. 17 Baylor Gets 3-Set Win
October 07, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 7, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - In what was easily the best home showing Texas Tech has had in the 2009 season, No. 17 Baylor came away with a 3-set win despite life shown throughout the match by the Red Raiders' offense. With the win, Baylor (17-1, 6-1) keeps pace among the leaders in the Big 12 while Tech falls to 2-12, 0-5 on the season.
"I know they say there aren't any moral victories in sports at this level, but I will tell you that the spark has to start somewhere and I saw far more positives in our play than negatives," head coach Trish Knight said of the effort. "Baylor is a great team and we were able to basically keep pace with them and I believe that's the kind of start we need to build some confidence from, so we're going to take away that we were competitive in this one and work hard for the next match."
It was a back and forth affair throughout the match, in set one each team traded punches to 11 before Baylor took control of the power game to go up by two. Tech clawed its way back with a key kill by Hayley Ball and a block assist by Miara Cave and Barbara Conceicao. Baylor got the serve back, up 18-17, and used a 7-2 run to end that set, 25-19. The second frame featured a few small runs by both teams, but likely will be remembered by the 561 fans in attendance for the late run Tech made, down set point, 20-24. Jenn Goehry served three to excite the crowd, but at 23-24, the Bears got a set ending kill. Tech actually trailed in the final frame, 6-12, before climbing back into it to forge a tie at 17s, but the Bears Katie Sanders used an effective four-point turn at serve to put the set and the match out of reach.
Sophomore Amanda Dowdy, who moved back to the middle hitter position this evening as expected, led the Red Raiders improved attack with 11 kills. The 6' 3" Dowdy also had her finest net performance of the season with a solo block and combining with teammates for two more block assists. Freshman Cave had her best home performance and blasted seven kills, many of them in impressive fashion and chipped in at the net with a block assist. Junior Conceicao added six kills and was stellar in the front-court with a pair of block solos and three block assists. Outside hitters Ball and Caroline Courtney each added four kills in the effort as well.
Sophomore setter Karlyn Meyers was effective in running the offense and attacking herself at key moments and picked up five kills to go with her 29 assists. Defensively, the team got eight digs from freshman Tory Vaughan and Dowdy and Goerhy and Aleah Hayes both added four and three, respectively.
But, ultimately, performances by Baylor's Sanders (13 kills and eight digs) and Anna Breyfogle (11 kills, a block solo and four block assists) overpowered Tech's otherwise solid defensive play.
Tech next travels to Missouri for a Saturday evening match as Big 12 play continues this weekend on Oct. 10, and hopes to build on those successes that were inherent in this match.
