Texas Tech Athletics
Connecticut
Flora Earns First Win As Texas Tech Sweeps UConn
August 27, 2011 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 27, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas - Don Flora earned his first victory as Texas Tech's head coach Saturday morning as the Red Raiders swept Connecticut, 25-19, 25-23, 25-21, in match two of the TCU Invitational at University Recreation Center.
Backed by a balanced offensive attack, the Red Raiders raced out to a .412 hitting percentage in the first set before finishing the match at a .388 average, Tech's highest since defeating South Florida in three sets on Sept. 9, 2006.
"I'm real happy with our focus under pressure and our ability to execute our systems in crunch time," Flora said. "Both of those things are signs that we can play at the highest level. Our offensive efficiency was a key part in winning in three. Today is one step on our journey."
Like its season opener against TCU the night before, Tech once again had three players with double-digit kills as Amanda Dowdy led the way with 18 followed by Breeann David's 14 and Miara Cave's 13. The trio combined for 45 of Tech's 52 kills while only totaling eight errors in the process.
Tech cut its attacking errors in half from the night before, finishing with only 12 as all three Red Raiders in double-figures hit over .400 in the match.
David led the way as she was .500 over the match, while Cave was .476 after killing 13-of-21 attempts. Dowdy chipped in a .417 average as well, her highest total since hitting .462 against Nebraska on Oct. 28, 2009.
For the second-straight match, Dowdy also recorded a double-double as the senior finished with 12 digs in the match, marking her 15th career double-double in a Red Raider uniform. She moves into this afternoon's match with Grambling State six kills shy of third place on the school's career chart.
Tech also cut back on the errors that proved costly against TCU as the Red Raiders finished with seven service errors, four less than the night before. The Huskies, meanwhile, forced Tech into only three receiving errors while recording no aces in the match.
Tory Vaughan chipped in a team-high 13 digs on the back row, matching her career high for the second-straight match. Karlyn Meyers was once again reliable at the setter position, dishing 42 assists while adding six digs and three kills.
The Red Raiders wrap the TCU Invitational later this afternoon when Tech faces Grambling State at 4 p.m.
