Texas Tech Athletics
Incarnate Word
Red Raiders Ground Cardinals To Open TTU Invitational
September 11, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 11, 2014
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Behind a stifling defensive performance, the Texas Tech volleyball team swept Incarnate Word to open the Texas Tech Invitational, in Lubbock, Texas, on Thursday.
The Red Raiders (7-0) started fast on Hero Day at the United Supermarkets Arena, taking the first set, 25-14, and winning the second, 25-19, before slamming the door in the third, 25-19. Texas Tech moves to 7-0 for the second time since 2004, both times coming under head coach Don Flora.
"It was exciting to be in our home digs," Flora said. "It was great to be in the United Supermarkets Arena. It's nice to be at home and play in front of family and friends. It was a great night to remember 9/11, celebrate our first responders and remind ourselves of what this day means. The players were excited to put on the uniform and run out there under the lights in front of the home fans. It was a lot of fun."
As a team, Incarnate Word hit .041 for the match, mustering only 27 kills and accumulating 23 errors. Lauren Douglass led the way with eight blocks, and Tech had 13 as a team. The Red Raiders have held each opponent under a .200 hitting percentage in 2014. Tech is now 3-0 this season and 18-0 under Flora when holding its opponent under .100.
"Jojit Coronel called a really good game defensively," Flora said. "He's doing a great job of calling our defensive and blocking schemes. I thought Mikia Mills and Lauren Douglass really picked it up. We could be a little cleaner on the right side, but eventually we got into a rhythm with our blocking and held them to a negative hitting percentage in the second set. That was big at a time when we weren't that clean, offensively."
On the offensive side, Douglass and Mikia Mills each notched a team-high nine kills. Douglass, who entered the match ranked third in the Big 12 in hitting percentage, hit .571 with only one attack error. Marguerite Grubb logged 29 assists to go along with her match-high 12 digs, earning her third double-double of the season.
The Red Raiders hit .237 as a team, and still have yet to hit below .200 in a match in 2014.
The Red Raiders will play host to a doubleheader tomorrow on day two of the Texas Tech Invitational at the United Supermarkets Arena, facing Gardner-Webb at noon, and Texas State at 6 p.m.
