Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
2-1,0-0Big 12
Saint Mary's
2-2,0-0WCC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Mary's (CA) | 23 | 25 | 18 | 20 | 1 |
| Texas Tech | 25 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Freshmen continue to shine in Red Raiders' win
September 03, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
Bowcutt, Dinsmore combine for 35 kills in Tech's four-set win
SACRAMENTO, California – The Red Raiders (2-1) took down St. Mary's (2-2) 3-1 on Thursday night in the opening match of the Sacramento State Tournament.
Katelyn Cochran recorded a career-high five kills in her return home to go along with 42 assists and nine digs. Shelby Ignash also had a career high, posting eight blocks. Sara Bowcutt became the first Tech player to record a 20-kill match this season, finishing with 21. Elia Dinsmore exploded for 13 kills in the final two sets to finish with 14 while adding six digs.
Gretchen Sigman had eight kills on an efficient .375 hitting while also getting in on two blocks. Kenna McKenzie added four kills as Tatum Johnson finished with three kills and four blocks to round out the major scorers for Tech. Emily Contreras led the team with 16 digs and added three aces while Maggie Boyd was in on six digs and recorded an assist.
Tech went down 4-0 to open the set forcing an early timeout from Tony Graystone. The Red Raiders retained the message in the huddle and came back to tie it at 11-11. Tech took a 16-14 lead to force a Gaels timeout and St. Mary's came back to it 19-19 but Bowcutt's six early kills were too much as Tech held off St. Mary's to win 25-23.
It was back-and-forth early in set two, but the Gaels took a timeout at 5-3 after some miscues on defense. Back-to-back aces gave St. Mary's an 8-7 lead and Cochran had two kills in the set from the setter position. Antonie Kelnarova of St. Mary's four kills in set two through 12-12 and an ace as they build a 16-13 lead to force a Tech timeout. Gaels went on to win 25-20. Tech hit better in the second set (.333) than the Gaels (.290) and had one more block, but four services aces by St. Mary's and four service errors by Tech proved to be the difference.
Ignash got her fifth block of the night to push Tech up to an early 4-2 lead in the third set. Tech took an early 8-3 lead to force a St. Mary's timeout. The Gaels responded well at first, but Tech was able to push its lead 17-10 to force another timeout behind five more kills by Bowcutt. It was all Red Raiders after that, as they went on to win the set 25-18. Dinsmore shined in the set as well with five kills.
Tech jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the fourth set before a St. Mary's timeout turned the tide, cutting the Red Raider lead down to 13-11. The freshmen duo of Dinsmore and Bowcutt were not deterred as they traded kills to keep Tech in the lead. Tech powered through the latter part of the set to win 25-20 and improve to 2-1 on the season.
UP NEXT: The Red Raiders will be back in action tomorrow night at 9 p.m. CT against host team Sacramento State.
