Texas Tech University Athletics
Volleyball Preview: Rams Volleyball Classic
September 08, 2010 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 8, 2010
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech volleyball team closes its non-conference portion of the 2010 schedule this weekend when it travels to Fort Collins, Colo. for the Rams Volleyball Classic. The Red Raiders will face Colorado State, Illinois State, and Northeastern in the two-day event held at Moby Arena.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 10
Northeastern vs. Illinois State - 5:30 p.m.
Texas Tech at Colorado State - 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 11
Texas Tech vs. Illinois State - 11 a.m.
Northeastern at Colorado State - 1 p.m.
Texas Tech vs. Northeastern - 5:30 p.m.
Illinois State at Colorado State - 8 p.m.
* All matches listed as central times.
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.
THE SERIES
The Red Raiders have a combined eight previous meetings between its three opponents this weekend. Tech is 2-6 all-time against the three schools and will be looking to improve on that entering the weekend.
- Tech and Colorado State will be meeting for the fifth time in the series as the Rams have won all four of the previous battles. The two schools last met Oct. 15, 2005, in Fort Collins as Colorado State won the meeting, 3-0. Tech is 0-2 all-time at Moby Arena.
- Tech and Illinois State will face each other for the first time since 1982 and for the fifth time all-time. The Redbirds won the most previous meeting, 3-0, in 1982 after Tech had won the two previous meetings in 1981 and 1980 by 2-0 scores.
- The Red Raiders and Northeastern will be facing each other for only the first time in either program's history.
THE RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech returns 10 letterwinners off last season's squad who went 2-27 in the first season under head coach Trish Knight. Despite struggles during her first season, Knight has a talented group still on the bench in juniors Amanda Dowdy and Karlyn Meyers along with seniors Jackie Vincent, Barbara Conceicao, Alexxa Roberts, and Caroline Courtney. Sophomores Miara Cave, Tory Vaughan and Aleah Hayes add to a talented group of freshman and transfer athletes to give Knight more depth in her second season.
SCOUTING COLORADO STATE
Colorado State enters this weekend reeling from its first loss of the season to sixth-ranked Florida last weekend in Gainesville, Fla. Besides its 3-1 loss to the Gators, the Rams have been perfect the rest of the way, earning a No. 15 ranking this week by the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association). Jacque Davisson and Danielle Minch lead the Rams with 71 and 58 kills each, while Audrey Hemmings is CSU's top defender with 80 digs followed by Davisson with 50. Megan Plourde has added 23 blocks and setter Evan Sanders has recorded 212 assists. Colorado State is coached by Tom Hilbert, who boasts a 514-158 career record over 22 seasons.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
Illinois State rides a two-match winning streak entering this weekend after defeating SIU Edwardsville, 3-0, on Tuesday night. The Redbirds are 6-2 on the year with losses to NC State and Indiana last weekend. Illinois State opened the season winning the Corvallis Invitational, defeating host Oregon State in the tournament finale. Mallory Leggett and Shannon McGlaughlin led the team with 120 and 99 kills each, while setter Kristin Stauter has added 346 assists and Jenny Menendez has posted 152 digs. Leggett has also added 101 digs and nine aces with McGlaughlin chipping in on the defensive effort with 69 digs herself. Illinois State is coached by Melissa Myers, who is in her third season with the Redbirds.
SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN
Northeastern enters this weekend's tournament with a 5-2 overall record, including wins in its last three matches, the latest being Tuesday's 3-0 victory over New Hampshire. Kelly Bacon and Janelle Tucker led the squad with 73 kills each while Tucker has also added 61 digs. Britney Bacon has a team-leading 16 blocks, while on the defensive end Jessica LaScola has posted 136 digs from the libero spot. Northeastern is coached by Ken Nichols, who in his 11th season is 187-130 overall.
RECAPPING LAST WEEKEND
Tech finished the weekend 1-2 for the second-straight weekend after getting swept in its first two matches against SMU and UC Davis before rebounding with a close 3-2 victory over Texas State.
LOOKING AHEAD
Tech has a quicker turnaround then it has had all season as the Red Raiders kickoff Big 12 play Wed., Sept. 15, at home against Missouri. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the United Spirit Arena.
EXPECTING A LARGER CROWD
Through three matches this season, Colorado State is averaging 3,710 fans at Moby Arena, meaning Tech should expect another large crowd when it faces the Rams on Friday night. CSU broke the arena record for attendance at a volleyball match in the season-opener against Duke as 6,333 fans packed Moby Arena to see the Rams defeat Duke.
ABILITY TO "BOUNCE" BACK
One thing Trish Knight can say about the Red Raiders is that they have not given up in either of the two preseason tournaments as Tech has rebounded from consecutive losses to open the weekend before finishing with a win. While Knight would obviously not want her team to get to that point, the team has responded to her "Bounce" motto for the year with its resiliency.
VINCENT NAMED TO SMU TOURNAMENT TEAM
Jackie Vincent might have had her best performance in a Red Raider uniform last weekend as the senior libero posted a career-high 19 digs in Tech's win over Texas State. Vincent was named to the all-tournament team following the match.
DOWDY, MEYERS, COURTNEY ALSO ADD CAREER HIGHS
Amanda Dowdy, Karlyn Meyers, and Caroline Courtney all also posted new personal bests against Texas State with Dowdy recording 23 kills, Meyers adding 51 assists, and Courtney drilling 17 kills in Tech's 3-2 win over the Bobcats.
THE PIPER SOLUTION
Aubree Piper saw her first collegiate action in the SMU Tournament as the freshmen played in all three matches last weekend. Piper, who had been recovering from a preseason foot injury, came in and immediately delivered for Tech, playing in nine sets while posting 16 kills, seven digs, and four blocks.
KNIGHT INSERTS YOUNG LINEUP
Following two-straight losses the day before, Trish Knight decided to insert a few new faces into the lineup against Texas State hoping the new combination would pay off. Knight put Aubree Piper, Sheridan Burgess, and Brandy Huskey into the regular lineup, which paid off for the second-year head coach as all three played a crucial part in the win.
