Tech Volleyball Heads To Lawrence To Face The Jayhawks
October 23, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
Mikia Mills and Breeann David lead the Red Raiders into Lawrence for a showdown with Kansas, on Saturday..
LUBBOCK, Texas --Texas Tech volleyball travels to Lawrence, Kan., on Saturday for a matchup with the Kansas Jayhawks. First serve is set for 1 p.m., and the match will be televised on espn3.com.
| Date | Oct. 25, 2014 |
| Time | 1 p.m. |
| Television | espn3.com |
| Talent | Leif Lisec & Jill Hall |
| Live Stats | http://www.sidearmstats.com/kansas/wvball/ |
This will be the 38th matchup between the Red Raiders (15-4, 3-4) and Jayhawks, with Kansas holding a 21-16 advantage, all time. Tech's last victory over Kansas (15-6, 3-4) came in 2010, and Tech's last victory in Lawrence was in 2006.
Texas Tech is coming off a thrilling five-set comeback win against Iowa State, its first win over the Cyclones since 2006.
Texas Tech is 2-3 against the current RPI top 75, with no losses outside the top 100. The average RPI of the four teams to defeat the Red Raiders is 32.
Kansas enters this weekend with a very similar record to Texas Tech, but sporting an RPI of 18. The Jayhawks picked up a couple key non-conference wins and battled tough against Penn State in a three-set loss.
Kansas was on a three-match winning streak before Wednesday's five-set loss to Iowa State. The Jayhawks are one of two Big 12 teams to take a set from Texas this season.
Kansas ranks second in the Big 12, averaging 14 kills per set, but will face a stiff test in Tech's defense, which ranks second in the Big 12 in opponent hitting percentage (.160), and digs (16.37), while ranking third in blocks per set (2.55)
Texas Tech's win over Iowa State ensured the first winning season for the program since 2001.
Who's Got Next?
Texas Tech will return home for its first rematch of 2014 Big 12 play, facing Baylor on Wednesday, Oct. 29. First serve is set for 6 p.m., on Fox Sports Southwest.
Ace In The Hole
Senior All-American Rachel Brummitt is not only a force to be reckoned with on the serve receive, she can do damage from the service line herself. Her 26 service aces rank third in the Big 12.
Starting Fast
Texas Tech volleyball had a historic start to 2014, winning its first 13 games. The Red Raiders have not started 13-0 since 1996, when they began the season 15-0. Texas Tech's best start in school history is a 16-0 beginning to the 1976 season, a year in which Tech also put together its longest winning streak in school history, 17 games.
Tech's 13-game winning streak was only the eighth double-digit winning streak in school history, and this marked the fifth time such a streak has begun the season. 13-0 was Tech's third-best start in school history.
In The Conference Room
Texas Tech currently ranks second in the Big 12 in digs per set (16.37), and opponent hitting percentage (.160). The Red Raiders rank third in the Big 12 in third in blocks per set (2.55). Individually, Lauren Douglass ranks 10th in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.318), Rachel Brummitt is No. 2 in the conference in digs (375), and ranks third in service aces (26).
Two Red Raiders rank in the Big 12's top 10 in points per set. Bree David (3.78) is fifth, and Jenna Allen (3.51) ranks ninth.
Making An Adjustment
Texas Tech is 14-5 in the third set of matches in 2014. The Red Raiders are outscoring opponents 452-379 in the set following the intermission--their largest margin of any set.
Winning Ways
With its five-set win over Iowa State, Texas Tech has guaranteed its first winning season since 2001.
Cardiac Kids
Texas Tech has played five matches that have gone five sets in 2014, and won all five. In four of those matches, the Red Raiders have had to play from behind. In three of those four, they erased 0-2 deficits.
Leading Ladies
The Red Raiders have made their way onto this week's edition of the 2014 NCAA stat rankings. Here is a breakdown of where you can find Tech on the national lists (top 40 only, through Oct. 23):
Tech In The NCAA Rankings| Rank | Name | Category | Number |
| 23. | Rachel Brummitt | Digs Per Set | 5.14 |
| 34. | Texas Tech | Opponent Hitting % | .160 |
| 36. | Texas Tech | Blocks Per Set | 2.55 |
Gettin' Diggy With It
In only one season, Rachel Brummitt went from a relatively unknown transfer to a school record holder and one of the top liberos in the Big 12. She has already broken her own school and conference records with a 39-dig performance in four sets against Air Force. She has been tabbed as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week twice this season. Her five weekly defensive awards over her career rank fifth in Big 12 history. She only needs 95 digs to become the school's all-time leader, after already logging 375 this season. She needs to average 10.6 digs per match the rest of the season to take the record.
TTU All-Time Dig Leaders
1. Lisa Hilgers (1995-98) 1,583
2. Ann Romjue (1999-02) 1,520
3. Rachel Brummitt (2012-Pres.) 1,489
4. Cristine Martin (1993-97) 1,323
5. Melissa McGehee (1999-02) 1,270
6. Jenn Goehry (2006-09) 1,229
7. Skydra Orzen (1998-01) 1,221
8. Chris Martin (1988-91) 1,152
9. Sheila Soloman (1987-90) 1,139
10. Sabrina Zenon (1988-91) 1,131
