Texas Tech University Athletics
Volleyball Preview: Texas Tech vs. Kansas
October 01, 2010 | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 1, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech volleyball wraps its week-long homestand against the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday night with a 6:30 p.m. first serve in the United Spirit Arena.
THE SERIES
Tech and Kansas will be meeting for the 30th time Saturday night with the Red Raiders maintaining a slight 15-14 all-time advantage in the series. The Jayhawks have narrowed Tech's lead in recent years, winning six-straight matches.
THE RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech will be looking to rebound from an eight-match losing streak Saturday night as the Red Raiders are currently 2-12 overall and 0-5 in Big 12 play. Tech fell to Baylor, 3-0, Wednesday night.
Tech, under the direction of second-year head coach Trish Knight, is led offensively by Preseason All-Big 12 selection Amanda Dowdy, who has recorded 169 kills at a 3.60 average per set, which is fifth in the conference. Dowdy is also fifth in the Big 12 in points per set with 4.12 per frame. Karlyn Meyers is averaging 8.48 assists per set, ninth highest in the Big 12.
On the defensive end, libero Jackie Vincent has been a consistent option for Knight, posting 154 digs on the year, while middle blocker Barbara Conceicao leads the squad with 42 blocks.
SCOUTING KANSAS
After losing three of its first four matches to start Big 12 play, Kansas rebounded to defeat Missouri, 3-1, on Wednesday night to improve the Jayhawks to 11-5 overall and 2-3 in conference. Kansas began the year with a seven-match winning streak before eventually falling to Middle Tennessee.
The Jayhawks boast one of the better attacking combos in the conference with Karina Garlington and Allison Mayfield. Garlington is seventh in the conference with 3.43 kills per set, while Mayfield has added 3.05 kills per frame of her own. Kara Wehrs is Kansas' leading setter, totaling 363 assists so far, while Nicole Tate has added 250 assists as well. Brianne Riley is ninth in the conference at 3.89 digs per set, while Caroline Jarmoc and Tayler Tolefree have totaled 55 and 52 blocks each.
Kansas has been backed by its defense most of the year with opponents only hitting .165 against the Jayhawks. Ray Bechard is in his 13th season at Kansas, posting a 201-179 record during that time.
RECAPPING THE LAST MATCH
Despite taking an early 8-1 lead in the first set, Texas Tech was unable to maintain an accurate Baylor offense Wednesday night as the Bears topped the Red Raiders, 3-0. Amanda Dowdy led Tech with 10 kills, while Aubree Piper adding nine kills of her own. Jackie Vincent posted a match-high 15 digs and was assisted on the back row by Candice Neill's career-high 11 digs.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Raiders travel to Ames, Iowa on Wednesday to face 9th-ranked Iowa State at the Ames High School gymnasium. The Cyclones' regular home, Hilton Coliseum, was damaged by flood waters in August, causing the volleyball program to change locations.
NEILL ADDS CAREER HIGH AGAINST BAYLOR
The Red Raiders received a nice boost on the back row from Candice Neill on Wednesday night as the sophomore recorded a career-high 11 digs against Baylor. Neill made her second start of the season and also added her first assist of the year.
DOWDY SHINES VERSUS BAYLOR
Amanda Dowdy was in the midst of one of her best performances of the year when she injured an ankle late in the third set of Wednesday's loss to Baylor. The junior smashed her 10th kill prior to the injury and had only two errors on the night en route to a season-high .242 hitting percentage.
RED RAIDERS PICKED FOR FOUR TV MATCHES
Texas Tech will be featured on television four times this season with two being aired in the Lubbock area. Tech's home matches against Oklahoma on Oct. 23 and Texas on Nov. 13 will both be aired on Fox NewsNow (Suddenlink Channel 9). The Red Raiders road match at Nebraska on Oct. 20 will be aired on the Huskers Sports Network, while Fox Sports Kansas City will pick up Tech's Nov. 3 match at Kansas State.
