Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Kansas State
Red Raiders Fall To Wildcats In Three Sets
October 04, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
Alyssa Ybanez had a team-high eight kills in Saturday's loss against Kansas State.
Oct. 4, 2014
LUBBOCK, Texas --The Texas Tech volleyball team was unable to keep a large first-set lead in a three-set loss to Kansas State, in the United Supermarkets Arena, on Saturday.
The Red Raiders (14-2, 2-2) raced out of the gates to a 7-0 lead, which they eventually extended to 15-3 in the first set. However, Kansas State responded with separate 6-0 and 4-0 runs to eventually tie the set at 18. The Red Raiders had a chance, up 24-23 in the first, but were unable to close it out, falling, 27-25.
Kansas State kept the pressure on in the second set, finishing on a 4-0 run that turned a 21-18 battle into a 25-18 win for the Wildcats. Texas Tech battled in the third, erasing a 17-13 deficit to tie the set at 21, but Kansas State went on a 4-1 run to take the set and the match, 25-22.
"You have to seal the deal in set one," Texas Tech head coach Don Flora said. "It was there for us. To be playing clean, great volleyball, keeping the pressure on and doing the things we discussed early on was great. It was pretty to see the success of the game plan in place. However, letting them back in the match like that proves that you can't ever coast. It's the Big 12. Every match will be a battle. We have to be better at putting the ball away on the outside, as well."
Offensively, Texas Tech was held to a hitting percentage of .128, logging 34 kills but recording 18 errors against the Wildcats, who entered the match ranked second in the NCAA in blocks. Alyssa Ybanez led the Red Raiders with eight kills. Jenna Allen provided six kills and Lauren Douglass chipped in five of her own.
On the defensive side, the Red Raiders collected nine total team blocks, led by five from Douglass, but Kansas State was still able to notch 46 kills. The Wildcats hit .159 for the match, marking only the eighth time under Flora that Tech has lost when holding its opponent under a hitting percentage of .200. Rachel Brummitt turned in 17 digs, and Carlie Foust joined her in double digits, with 10.
"I thought [Kylee] Zumach did a nice job for them," Flora said. "I think we did a nice job against their left sides, but we just didn't do a good enough job of controlling the ball, especially in the second and third sets. There's also some work we need to do on the block."
Texas Tech will be back in action next Thursday, Oct. 9, at the No. 2 Texas Longhorns. First serve from Austin, Texas, is at a time to be determined.
