Texas Tech Athletics
Kansas State
Wildcats Outlast Red Raiders
November 28, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 28, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech had its best home showing of the season, but fell to K-State in four sets despite getting a career-high 21 kills and her best individual performance from Amanda Dowdy, and a 23-dig performance from outgoing senior Jenn Goehry. Set scores in the exciting match were: 31-29, 25-13, 16-25 and 25-22.
K-State libero Lauren Mathewson was brilliant along the back row for the Wildcats, scooping up 29 digs, many of which were breathtaking, like Goehry's. The Wildcats got 17 kills from JuliAnne Chisholm, 13 from Kathleen Ludwig and 12 from Kelsey Chipman to pace K-State to a .176 hitting efficiency day. But, it was K-State's serving game which likely made the difference, especially in the amazing first set.
There were five lead changes and 10 ties in that set, which saw Wildcats' Abby Fay collect two of her three service aces, K-State finished with nine, to take control with the Wildcats' back against the wall, tied at 25. Sets two and three saw the teams trade hitting efficiency, with K-State (.367) dominating the second and Tech (.263) dominating the third. For the Red Raiders it was the first set win of first-year head coach Trish Knight's career in Lubbock. The fourth set was a back and forth affair with each team trading punches and fatigue setting in, which is when back row play in particular and on both sides of the net seemed most spectacular.
"As a coach, it's hard for me to accept small victories because we simply have to improve in every phase to compete in a conference as tough as the Big 12 is," Knight said. "But, I am so pleased with our fight, with our not giving up, with our improvements -- and there were many throughout the year -- and we will take that type of fight into our spring training and we will be better next year, so I'd have to just admit that I'm very proud of our effort today," she finished.
Other Tech highlights included setter Karlyn Meyers dishing the ball for 45 assists (season high), Barbara Conceicao added 10 kills and seniors Hayley Ball and Caroline Witte had six and five, respectively, in their final outings in red and black. Dowdy collected 14 digs, two service aces and had a block solo and four assists, and Tech libero Tory Vaughan collected 12 digs throughout some of the most intense points. The net game for Tech was solid, although K-State out-blocked the team, 12.5 - 12, Conceicao had seven block assists and a block solo, and Miara Cave had four block assists.
For Tech's three seniors, Ball, Goehry and Witte, the ending is bittersweet as each ends their career without that elusive Big 12 win that the trio so desperately wanted. However, sometimes the move toward greatness has to begin with the smallest step and for Tech, the set win at home may be just such a small step. Jenn Goehry finishes her stellar Red Raider career in the fifth spot, all time, in digs with 1,229 defensive stops.
Special Match Note: During the intermission the serving for t-shirts contest was especially exciting as many shirts were given away. No serve was closer than Dowdy's mom, Rhonda's, which narrowly missed the target but which showed onlookers where Amanda gets her potent serve!
