Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Missouri
Tigers Drop Tech Volleyball 3-1 In Big 12 Opener
September 19, 2001 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 19, 2001
COLUMBIA, Mo - Despite a late rally, the Texas Tech volleyball team fell to the Missouri Tigers 3-1 (27-30, 25-30, 30-26, 29-31) in the conference opener for both teams.
With the loss, Texas Tech falls to 6-3 on the season and 0-1 in the Big 12 while Missouri improves to 8-0 overall and 1-0 in the league.
Senior outside hitter Heather Hughes-Justice got Tech going early in the first-game, as Tech scored the first four points courtesy of her outstanding serving. The game turned into a seesaw battle as neither team took more than a three-point lead. With the game tied at 27-27, Hughes-Justice netted her first service error of the match giving Missouri the momentum. Missouri won the game on back-to-back hitting errors by freshman outside hitter Kelly Johnson.
Missouri took a 3-0 lead in the second game and extended that lead to six (16-10) midway through the game before the Red Raider offense came to life. Texas Tech tied the score 22-22 on a kill by sophomore Angela Mooney but Missouri's star outside hitter Lisa Morris gave the Tigers the lead at 23-22 on a ball that just barely caught the backside line. The Tigers went on a 5-1 scoring run to seal the game 25-30 giving Missouri a 2-0 advantage at the intermission.
Down 18-16 at the midway point of the third game, senior middle blocker Yolanda Cumbess anchored four point scoring run for Texas Tech with a solo block to the Missouri middle court. Tech capitalized on both solid hitting and Missouri serving errors to take a 28-24 lead late in the game. The Red Raiders forced the match to go extra games when a Mizzou service error gave Tech the 30-26 win.
Yolanda Cumbess keyed another Texas Tech comeback in the fourth game scoring two straight points to tie the game at 25. Tech extended the lead to 29-27 and was facing game point until the first referee charged the Red Raiders with four touches which brought Missouri within one. The Tigers capitalized on that momentum and scored three straight points including the game winner from Lisa Morris to win the game 31-29 and the match 3-1.
Leading the way for Texas Tech offensively was Kelly Johnson who pounded out 21 kills on the evening. Defensively, the Red Raiders were paced by junior Ann Romjue who tallied 21 digs. With 60 assists on the evening, senior setter Skydra Orzen moved into second place on the career-assist list at Texas Tech. Orzen now has 3,616 career assist which moves her past Ginger Carter (3,598 assists from 1991-94) into second place.
Texas Tech returns to action on Saturday night Sept. 22nd when the Red Raider will host the 22nd ranked Kansas State Wildcats in a 7 p.m. match at the United Spirit Arena.
