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TCU
Tech Takes Down TCU Behind David's Career Night
September 24, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
LUBBOCK, Texas -- The Texas Tech volleyball team, behind a career high-matching 23 kills from Breeann David, took down TCU, 3-1, to open Big 12 play at the United Supermarkets Arena, Wednesday night.
The Red Raiders (13-0, 1-0) came up short in the first set for the third time in four matches, 25-22, but fought back from a 15-9 deficit to win the second, 25-23. Tech handled TCU (10-5, 0-1) in the third set, 25-19, before slamming the door with a decisive 25-15 win in the fourth. Tonight's win marked the first time the Red Raiders have won their Big 12 opener since 2007, when they defeated Colorado to start the conference slate.
"It tells our athletes and really everyone how our work has really come together," Texas Tech head coach Don Flora said. "We've had some good preseason wins, and we rolled that into a win against a TCU team that has notched some wins over some quality teams. TCU is very solid and very complete, so I'm very proud of these young women for battling their tails off."
Breeann David led the way for Texas Tech, recording 23 kills, which matched a career high. She was also accurate with her swings, finishing with a hitting percentage of .306. David also logged 15 digs, earning her 10th-career double-double.
"I was just playing my game," David said. "I was going out there with the intent to be a good teammate, and to be the best player I could be. I've been really working on the off ball. I get excited to hit and I sometimes go early, so I've really been working on being patient and it paid off tonight."
Lauren Douglass and Mikia Mills joined David in having double-digit kills, finishing with 12 and 10, respectively. Mills hit .389 for the match and added five blocks.
Midway through the second set, Flora made a change, inserting Emily Ruetter at the setter position. Ruetter responded by registering 32 assists and seven digs in two and half sets.
"The beauty of it is, we have setters who compete, do their job and each have something that they bring to the table," Flora said. "Tonight, we needed to be a little better to the pin, and sometimes that's [Emily] Ruetter. The other night, [Marguerite] Grubb came in and did a nice job with that. Tonight, Ruetter came in and found a good rhythm. She found our middles and back row well. She just did a nice job tonight."
Defensively, it turned out to be one of Tech's most complete performances of the year. TCU hit .312 in the first set, but the Red Raiders put the clamps down from there, holding the Horned Frogs to .128 in the second set, .000 in the third and .054 in the fourth. TCU finished with a hitting percentage of .115. Tech is now 7-0 this season and 24-6 under Flora when holding opponents between a percentage of .100 and .199.
Much of TCU's drop in hitting percentage was due Tech's work on the block and on the back line. As a team, Texas Tech finished with nine blocks, and 86 digs. Tech's 86 digs marked the third-highest team total of the season--26 of those coming from Rachel Brummitt. Carlie Foust chipped in a career-high 15 digs as well, and Jenna Allen added 14 of her own.
Texas Tech will be back in action this Saturday, Sept. 27, against West Virginia. First serve is set for 3 p.m., at the United Supermarkets Arena.
