Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Bowling Green
Bowling Green Tops Tech, 3-1
September 05, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 5, 2009
NEW ORLEANS - Bowling Green (5-1) came back from a one-set deficit to beat Texas Tech, 3-1, in volleyball action at the Radisson New Orleans Privateer Invitational. The Red Raiders fall to 1-4 on the season.
Amanda Dowdy and Barbara Conceicao finished with 12 kills each to lead Tech, but it was Corey Domek who dominated the match for the Falcons and finished with 19 kills and a .300 effectiveness average. Tech's play at the net continues to improve as the Red Raiders out-blocked Bowling Green, 10-6. Conceicao had a block solo and five block assists and fellow middle blocker Michelle Kuester had a solo and three block assists as well to lead the way at the net.
Statistically, the Red Raiders played fairly well, committing only five service errors, which were offset by five service aces, to the Falcons 11 service miscues. Tech also hit for a respectable .244 team average, committing only 18 errors in attempts. However, the Red Raiders only managed to truly attack the ball 47 times compared to Bowling Green's 63 attempts.
Setter Karlyn Meyers spread the ball to eight different attackers picking up 32 assists and added six kills for Tech as the sophomore also had five block assists in the effort.
Seniors Caroline Witte and Jenn Goehry each had seven digs for Tech to lead the defensive effort and freshman libero Tory Vaughan continued her stellar back-row play, picking up six digs.
But, for Tech, what could've been may haunt the young team as a brilliant first set was wasted. Hayley Ball came off the bench to give Tech a much-needed boost, down 8-11, and finished the first frame three-for-four in attacks, a key service ace and scooped up three digs, leading the Red Raiders to a 25-20 first set win. Setter Karlyn Meyers was magnificent in the effort, adding four kills (no errors) and spreading eight assists evenly among hitters. It was the blocking game that had the most impact as Tech out-blocked the Falcons, 4-1, and kept the Falcons hitting for only a .171 average, compared to Tech's best single-set average of the season, .310.
Sloppy play for Tech in the second included six attack errors and two service errors as the Falcons evened the match led by Domek's seven kills. It was Domek and the Falcons who continually improved throughout the match as the team wound up hitting for a .433 and .481 average in the third and fourth sets to control the outcome.
The task doesn't get easier for the Red Raiders as the squad faces New Orleans (3-2) in the final match tonight at 7 p.m. The Privateers come into the match undefeated in tournament play having already beaten both the Falcons and Southeastern Louisiana.
