Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
UNLV
Tech Can't Find Answer, Falls to Rebels, 3-1
September 07, 2002 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 7, 2002
Las Vegas, Nev. - Trying to get back to its winning ways, the Texas Tech volleyball team headed back out on the court Saturday afternoon to play UNLV in its second match of the UNLV/Gameworks Classic. The match was a seesaw battle most of the way, but in the end UNLV proved too much for Tech and pulled out the 3-1 victory at Cox Pavilion.
Trailing 2-1 Tech couldn't seem to come up with a game-turning point when they needed it the most. In a game that was closer than the 30-23 score would indicate, the Rebels scored the final four points of the match and seemed to leave the Red Raiders looking for answers.
Both teams knew they were in a battle from the get-go as they traded points through the first game before the Red Raiders finally gained control of the game, 18-17, and never gave up the lead en route to a 30-25 win.
Tech (3-2) was led offensively by Kelly Johnson and Melissa McGehee as both players recorded a double-double. Johnson turned in a match best 23 kills with 12 digs while McGehee posted 15 kills and 13 digs. Jessy Herrera led Tech in digs for the fifth consecutive match with 16.
The second was much of the same as neither team was able to sustain much momentum for every long. After leading early, 4-2, the Rebels rattled off the next four points. UNLV would build the lead up to five on two different occasions before Tech was able to tie the game at 16. UNLV would win the next three points and the game, 30-25. During the Red Raider comeback attempt, head coach Jeff Nelson was issued a yellow card for arguing with the officials.
In the third game neither team was able to build a lead larger than two throughout the game. In the battle of wills, there were 22 lead changes (9 Tech leads, 13 UNLV leads) and 21 ties as the Rebels took a 2-1 lead in the match, 30-28.
UNLV (3-2) was paced by the play of Patricia Assuncao who tallied 21 kills and hit .405 and also had a match high 17 digs.
Texas Tech will try to salvage a win in the tournament's finale as they square off with the Cal Bears, who enter the match as the tournaments only undefeated team, at 1:30 p.m.
