Texas Tech University Athletics
Volleyball Preview: Texas Tech vs. Baylor
September 28, 2010 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 28, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech volleyball team looks to get its first Big 12 victory of the season when it battles the Baylor Bears at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the United Spirit Arena.
WWW.TEXASTECH.COM
Fans can get up-to-date information on Texas Tech Volleyball throughout the season on the athletics department official website, www.texastech.com. Fans unable to make it to the United Spirit Arena can watch every home match for free via Red Raider All-Access. The site will also contain updated video and editorial content on a weekly basis.
WATCH THE ACTION LIVE
For the first time, Texas Tech will stream all 10 Texas Tech volleyball matches online for free. Fans from outside the Lubbock area can watch all the action live on Red Raider All-Access which available online at www.texastech.com.
ON THE AIR
Texas Tech fans can listen to all the action live as Matt Driskill (play-by-play) and Harley Chambless (color commentary) call the match from courtside at the United Spirit Arena. All Texas Tech home matches will be broadcast through Red Raider All-Access on the school's official website, www.texastech.com.
GAMETRACKER
Texas Tech fans can also keep up with up-to-the-minute statistics through the Gametracker link on the volleyball schedule page at www.texastech.com.
THE SERIES
Despite losing the last 10 matches in the series, Texas Tech owns a 48-19 all-time advantage over Baylor. The Red Raiders are 23-8 all-time against the Bears in Lubbock.
THE RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech enters Wednesday night looking for its first Big 12 win of the season after dropping consecutive matches last week at Oklahoma and Texas A&M. The Red Raiders dropped to 2-11 overall and 0-4 in the conference with the losses.
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 159 kills at a 3.61 average per set, which is sixth in the conference. Karlyn Meyers is averaging 8.53 assists per set, ninth highest in the Big 12. Miara Cave has performed well since the opening of conference play with 31 kills over four matches, including 11 kills against Kansas State.
On the defensive end, libero Jackie Vincent has been a consistent option for Knight, posting 139 digs on the year, while middle blocker Barbara Conceicao leads the squad with 38 blocks.
SCOUTING BAYLOR
After a Sweet 16 appearance in 2009, Baylor has struggled in the early part of 2010, arriving in Lubbock with three-straight losses, all to opponents ranked in the top 10 nationally. The Bears have dropped 3-0 decisions to both No. 8 Texas and No. 4 Nebraska and a 3-1 loss to No. 10 Iowa State. All but one of Baylor's losses so far have come to ranked opponents with the exception being a 3-2 loss to SMU the opening week of the season.
Ashlie Christenson leads the Bears with 3.20 kills per set, ninth highest in the Big 12, totaling 173 through 54 sets. Torri Campbell's .307 hitting percentage ranks ninth in the conference, while setter Kate Harris is 10th overall in assists per set with 6.38. Caitlyn Trice leads the way defensively with a Big 12-leading 307 digs, while Elizabeth Graham also leads the conference with 78 blocks.
Baylor won each of the two meetings last year by a 3-0 score. Under the direction of seventh-year head coach Jim Barnes, Baylor is 2-2 on the road this season.
RECAPPING LAST WEEK
Coming off its first set win in conference play, Tech could not continue its momentum last Saturday at Texas A&M, dropping the match, 3-0. Tech previously lost to Oklahoma, 3-1, last Wednesday in Norman.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Raiders face the Kansas Jayhawks at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in their final match at the United Spirit Arena until Colorado travels to Lubbock on Oct. 13. Tech goes to Ames, Iowa next Wednesday (Oct. 6) to battle the 9th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones before taking its first open day the following Saturday.
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.
BURGESS MEETS FORMER PREP TEAMMATE
With the success of Amarillo High School the last decade, Tech freshman Sheridan Burgess was only bound to face many former teammates over the course of the Big 12 season. For the third match in a row, Burgess will see another former Amarillo Sandies teammate across the net in Baylor sophomore Torri Campbell. The duo joined forces to win two state titles together in high school.
CLOSER THAN IT LOOKS
Despite four losses to open the Big 12 and only one set victory during that period, head coach Trish Knight still has several positives to look at as the Red Raiders have been competitive in each set. The Red Raiders came close to taking two sets against Missouri and then nearly completed an improbable third-set comeback against Kansas State with a nine-point run with the score 23-12. Tech was tied 16-16 in all four sets against Oklahoma and won the third set. Tech also came close to winning the third set against Texas A&M, leading throughout the frame before the Aggies rallied at the end to close the match.
OFFENSE IS LOOKING UP
Despite four losses to open conference play, the Red Raider offense is looking up as Tech recorded its two-highest kill numbers in a 3-set match against Missouri and Kansas State, while nearing matching its season high for a 4-set match against Oklahoma. Tech posted what was its new season high against the Tigers with 39 kills and then surpassed it later in the week against the Wildcats with 40 kills. The Red Raiders recorded 47 kills against Oklahoma.
DOWDY POSTS THIRD DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Amanda Dowdy posted her third double-double of the season against Oklahoma as the junior recorded 14 kills and 11 digs. Dowdy has already matched her total from a year ago, giving her six now over her Tech career.
