Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Volleyball Travels To Austin To Face No. 2 Texas
October 08, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
Jenna Allen and the Red Raiders head to Austin with their eyes on their first victory over the Longhorns since 2000.
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech volleyball will travel to Austin, Texas, for a matchup with the No. 2 Texas Longhorns on Thursday. First serve in Gregory Gym is set for 7 p.m., on the Longhorn Network.
| Time | 7 p.m. |
| TV | Longhorn Network |
| Talent | Tyler Denning & Neil Fortner |
| Radio (FREE) | http://texas.leanplayer.com/ |
| Live Stats | http://www.sidearmstats.com/texas/wvball/ |
This will be the 88th matchup between the Red Raiders (14-2, 2-2) and Longhorns, with Texas (12-0, 4-0) holding a 76-9-2 advantage, all time. Tech's last victory over Texas came in 2000, when the Red Raiders took both meetings.
Texas Tech is coming off a 1-1 week in Big 12 play, featuring a thrilling five-set win at Baylor, and falling in three sets at home against Kansas State.
Texas won all eight of its non-conference matches, including wins over Nebraska, Arizona and Florida.
Thursday's match will be Texas' third in five days. The Longhorns beat Kansas in four sets in Lawrence on Sunday, and swept Baylor in Austin on Tuesday.
Texas is currently the No. 2 team in the nation, according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, with 1429 points. Texas got three first-place votes in this week's poll.
This will be a matchup of two excellent defensive teams. Texas ranks ninth in the NCAA in opponent hitting percentage (.138), while Tech ranks 16th at .146.
With a win, Texas Tech would guarantee itself a winning season, something the Red Raiders have not experienced since 2001.
Who's Got Next?
Texas Tech will hit the road again next Wednesday, Oct. 15, to face Oklahoma, in Norman, Okla. First serve at McCasland Field House is set for 7 p.m.
Ace In The Hole
Senior All-American Rachel Brummitt is not only a force to be reckoned with on the serve receive, she can do damage from the service line herself. Her 26 service aces rank third in the Big 12 and 30th nationally.
Starting Fast
Texas Tech volleyball had a historic start to 2014, winning its first 13 games. The Red Raiders have not started 13-0 since 1996, when they began the season 15-0. Texas Tech's best start in school history is a 16-0 beginning to the 1976 season, a year in which Tech also put together its longest winning streak in school history, 17 games.
Tech's 13-game winning streak was only the eighth double-digit winning streak in school history, and this marked the fifth time such a streak has begun the season. 13-0 was Tech's third-best start in school history.
In The Conference Room
Texas Tech currently leads the Big 12 in digs per set (16.69), while ranking second in assists per set (12.97) and opponent hitting percentage (.146). The Red Raiders rank third in the Big 12 in third in blocks per set (2.55). Individually, Lauren Douglass ranks sixth in the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.332), and Rachel Brummitt leads the conference in digs (318), and ranks fourth in service aces (26).
A Helping Hand
Texas Tech's top-40 national ranking in assists has a lot to do with the team's depth at setter. Marguerite Grubb ranks seventh in the conference at 9.95 assists per set. Emily Ruetter just misses the games played requirement to appear on the conference stat sheets, but her 282 assists in 29 sets (9.72) would rank eighth in the conference.
Making An Adjustment
Texas Tech is 14-2 in the third set of matches in 2014. The Red Raiders are outscoring opponents 393-303 in the set following the intermission--their largest margin of any set.
Cardiac Kids
Texas Tech has played four matches that have gone five sets in 2014, and won all four. In three of those matches, the Red Raiders have had to play from behind. In two of those three, they erased 0-2 deficits.
Leading Ladies
The Red Raiders have made their way onto this week's edition of the 2014 NCAA stat rankings. Here is a breakdown of where you can find Tech on the national lists (top 40 only, through Oct. 3):
Tech In The NCAA Rankings| 18. | Rachel Brummitt | Digs Per Set | 5.21 |
| 30. | Rachel Brummitt | Service Aces | 26 |
| 16. | Texas Tech | Opponent Hitting % | .146 |
| 24. | Texas Tech | Digs Per Set | 16.69 |
| 32. | Texas Tech | Assists Per Set | 12.97 |
| 39. | Texas Tech | Blocks Per Set | 2.55 |
Gettin' Diggy With It
In only one season, Rachel Brummitt went from a relatively unknown transfer to a school record holder and one of the top liberos in the Big 12. She has already broken her own school and conference records with a 39-dig performance in four sets against Air Force. She has been tabbed as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week twice this season. Her five weekly defensive awards over her career rank fifth in Big 12 history. She only needs 152 digs to become the school's all-time leader, after already logging 318 this season.
TTU All-Time Dig Leaders
1. Lisa Hilgers (1995-98) 1,583
2. Ann Romjue (1999-02) 1,520
3. Rachel Brummitt (2012-Pres.) 1,432
4. Cristine Martin (1993-97) 1,323
5. Melissa McGehee (1999-02) 1,270
6. Jenn Goehry (2006-09) 1,229
7. Skydra Orzen (1998-01) 1,221
8. Chris Martin (1988-91) 1,152
9. Sheila Soloman (1987-90) 1,139
10. Sabrina Zenon (1988-91) 1,131
