Tech Volleyball Hosts Colorado
November 03, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 3, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - In what turns out to be an unusual week for the Red Raiders volleyball squad, Tech has a bye on Wednesday, hosts Colorado for a 4 p.m. match on Saturday, and then will board a plane for Manhattan, Kansas for a Sunday evening feature with Kansas State at 6 p.m. The Sunday contest is the re-scheduled date from earlier this year when Tech was grounded when several players were ill.
Colorado and Kansas State are the two teams who sit immediately above the Red Raiders in the Big 12 (see page 7 for complete standings) and so the weekend series is extremely important for an improving Tech volleyball squad who seek an elusive win in one of the nation's premier conferences.
First things first: Colorado (6-16, 1-12 Big 12)
Colorado will come to Lubbock after first hosting Kansas on Wednesday, Nov. 4. Led by Becah Fogle's 3.19 kills-per-set, the Buffaloes offense also features 2.79 kps by Rosie Steinhaus and Kaitlyn Burkett's .344 hitting efficiency.
Burkett directs the offense and averages 7.52 assists per set. Megan Cyr has stepped in to set and has amassed a 3.19 aps average, dishing 153 assists on the season. The blocking game is led by Nikki Kinzer (0.80 bps) but is marked with solid distribution of blocks among front court players. As a squad the team hits for a .154 efficiency. Defensively, Colorado is led by Katie Evanyo's 2.46 dps average, but three other players, including Fogle who averages 2.36 dps, average more than two digs per set to round out the defense.
Head Coach Liz Kritza is in her first season in Boulder. Tech is 4-23 all-time versus Colorado, after suffering a four-set loss to the Buffaloes earlier this season. The Buffaloes are the last Big 12 team that Tech beat, in a five-set win in Lubbock on Sept. 12, 2007.
Then, the Kansas State Wildcats (8-14, 2-10 Big 12)
Wednesday, K-State hosts No. 23 Texas A&M and then has their bye Saturday match before hosting the Red Raiders on Sunday. Led by JuliAnne Chisholm's 3.14 kps and Kelsey Chipman's .355 hitting efficiency (2.65 kps), the Wildcats hit for a team .186 efficiency and average 12.67 kills per set. Setter Soriana Pacheco has tallied 866 assists on the season, good for a 10.19 aps mark. At the net, K-State gets 1.07 bps from Chipman. Defensively, the Wildcats get 4.44 digs per set from Lauren Mathewson and 2.46 dps from Caitlyn Donahue.
Head Coach Susie Fritz is in her eighth season at the helm in Manhattan. Overall, Tech has an 8-22 record with the Wildcats, their last win coming in a five-set match in Manhattan on Nov. 20, 2004.
And, what about Tech? (2-19, 0-12 Big 12)
Tech is led by Amanda Dowdy's 3.31 kills per set and Karlyn Meyers .281 hitting efficiency. Barbara Conceicao, Miara Cave and Caroline Courtney each adds 2.04, 1.47 and 1.29 kps, respectively to an offense which is directed by setter Meyers (7.97 assists per set). Miscues in the attack have plagued the Red Raiders who as a team hit .129.
Defensively, Tech gets 2.45 digs per set from Jenn Goehry, who now ranks sixth all-time at Tech in digs with 1,190 scoops and Dowdy adds 1.85 dps to lead the team.The blocking game, led by Conceicao's 1.30 bps, which is good enough for second in the Big 12, and Meyers' 0.81 bps has been the statistical highlight of the 2009 squad.
