Texas Tech Prepares To Face The Mountaineers In Morgantown
November 14, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2014
This will be only the eighth matchup between the Red Raiders (15-9, 3-9) and Mountaineers, with West Virginia (13-13, 3-9) leading, 5-2, all time, including a four-set victory in Lubbock, on Sept. 27, which was Tech's first loss of the season.
Tech is looking to break out of a rough patch, as the Red Raiders have lost eight of their last nine matches.
The Red Raiders are 2-1 all time in Morgantown, with the only loss being a five-set thriller, in 2013.
West Virginia's Jordan Anderson is far and away the most potent offensive threat in the Big 12, averaging 4.61 kills per set, which leads the conference by a wide margin. Anderson erupted for 24 kills in the teams' first meeting this season.
West Virginia allows only 13.04 digs per set, which is the second-best mark in the Big 12, but Texas Tech ranks second in the conference in digs per set, averaging 16.33.
West Virginia hits for an average percentage of .226 this season, but will face a tough test in Tech's defense, which ranks third in the conference, allowing opponents to hit only .181, in 2014.
Who's Got Next?
Texas Tech will complete its short two-game road swing with a trip to Fort Worth to face TCU, on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Tech will be looking to sweep the Horned Frogs for the second-straight year.
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 31 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 (16.33). The Red Raiders rank third in the Big 12 in opponent hitting percentage (.181), and fourth in blocks per set (2.43). Individually, Lauren Douglass ranks sixth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.327).
Two Red Raiders rank in the Big 12's top 10 in points per set. Breeann David averages 3.67 points per set, good enough for sixth, and Allen ranks eighth, at 3.55.
Making An Adjustment
Texas Tech is 15-9 in the third set of matches in 2014. The Red Raiders are outscoring opponents 552-502 in the set following the intermission--their largest margin of any set.
Cardiac Kids
Texas Tech has played six matches that have gone five sets in 2014, and gone 5-1. In four of those matches, the Red Raiders had to play from behind. In two of those four, they erased 0-2 deficits.
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 12 digs to become the school's all-time leader, after already logging 449 this season.
TTU All-Time Dig Leaders
1. Lisa Hilgers (1995-98) 1,583
2. Rachel Brummitt (2012-Pres.) 1,572
3. Ann Romjue (1999-02) 1,520
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
