Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Set To Host Lone Star Showdown
September 18, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 18, 2014
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech volleyball will host its second-straight tournament at the United Supermarkets Arena this weekend, the Lone Star Showdown. Texas Tech will play a doubleheader on Friday, Sept. 19, facing Abilene Christian at noon and Weber State at 6 p.m. The Red Raiders will wrap up non-conference play on Sept. 20, against Air Force, at 1 p.m.
The Red Raiders hold the all-time series lead against Abilene Christian, 28-2, Weber State, 6-2 and Air Force, 1-0.
With a win on Friday afternoon, the Red Raiders would have a double-digit winning streak for the eighth time in school history. 10-0 would be Texas Tech's best start since a 15-0 beginning to 1996. The best start in school history is 16-0 in 1976. The Red Raiders also logged a school-record 17-game winning streak later in that 1976 season.
Who's Got Next?
Texas Tech will open Big 12 play next Wednesday, Sept. 24, as the Red Raiders host TCU, at 6 p.m., in the United Supermarkets Arena.
Non-Con Domination
Texas Tech will look to continue its dominance over non-conference foes this weekend as the Red Raiders are a combined 41-16 against out-of-league opponents under third-year head coach Don Flora. Tech went 14-2 against non-conference opponents in Flora's first season before turning in an 11-5 mark in 2012, going 7-9 a year ago and 9-0 so far in 2014. During that span, Tech has gone 12-2 when hosting non-conference action at the United Spirit Arena, and 18-5 when playing at a neutral site. Both of the home non-conference losses under Flora came during the injury-riddled 2013 season.
Red Raiders, Extra Seasoning
In 2014, The Red Raiders return 14 letterwinners from the injury-riddled 2013 season, 12 of those being upperclassmen, creating arguably the most experienced roster Flora has had at Tech. They aren't just
experienced, they're talented. Rachel Brummitt and Bree David both played for the U.S. collegiate national team this summer, gaining valuable experience and leadership intangibles. Mixed with a talented crop of incoming freshmen, Tech will eye its first winning season since 2001, in 2014.
Killer Instinct
When the Red Raiders amass more kills than their opponent, it almost always results in a win. Tech was 9-2 in such games in 2013, 7-0 in 2014 and is 37-4 in such games under Flora. Despite battling through injuries for a good portion of 2013, Bree David totaled 282 kills, good for second-most on the team, but her eye-popping 3.4 kills per set was the best mark on the team. David was also accurate with her kills, finishing with a hitting percentage of .213, second-best on the team. Jenna Allen, who is a junior in 2014, also didn't play in as many games as she would like, but she was on David's heels, amassing 182 kills in 56 sets, good enough for 3.25 kills/set.
The Denver City Hammer
Not shy from coining nicknames, Texas Tech head coach Don Flora has long referred to senior outside hitter Breeann David as the "Denver City Hammer." Named for both her hometown of nearby Denver City, Texas, as well as her hard-hitting ability, David enters her senior year as arguably Tech's most important offensive weapon, after she led the team with a 3.4 kills per set average a year ago. David is fourth on the all-time Big 12 active list in both kills (757) and attacks (2,076). Her father, Stan David, was a standout football player for the Red Raiders and eventual 1984 NFL Draft selection by the Buffalo Bills. Her mother, Megan David (formerly McGuire), also starred on the volleyball team while at Tech where she still ranks in the top 10 in most career blocking categories. Her younger brother, Clancy David, was once a walk-on on the Tech football team.
National Names
Red Raider seniors Rachel Brummitt and Breeann David each played for the U.S. collegiate national volleyball team in the summer of 2014. David was invited to compete in the European Tour that ran July 8-19 with visits to Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, and Brummitt competed in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships held June 22-July 1 in Minneapolis, Minn. Both players previously traveled to the U.S. Olympic Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. for Team USA tryouts in February. They were two of 248 athletes to compete in the tryouts that were for both the U.S. Women's National Team and the U.S. Collegiate National Team.
Dishing It Out
Junior setter Emily Ruetter, in just two years, has become one of Tech's most prolific setters in school history. She just fell short of entering Tech's all-time top-10 for single-season assists in 2013, but she ranks ninth career-wise in school history, with 2,285 assists, and is second on the Big 12's all-time active list. Even with the intense competition Tech has at setter in 2014, Ruetter will still find herself climbing the all-time lists.
Stats On Stats
This week on the 2014 NCAA stat rankings, Rachel Brummitt maintained her elite standing in regards to digs and aces. Here is a breakdown of where you can find Tech on the national lists:
Tech in the NCAA rankings
Tech in the NCAA rankings
| Rank | Name | Category | Number |
| 12. | Rachel Brummitt | Aces Per Set | 0.61 |
| 27. | Rachel Brummitt | Digs Per Set | 5.06 |
| 27. | Texas Tech | Digs Per Set | 16.79 |
In the Conference Room
Through three weeks of play, Texas Tech is in the Big 12's top three in five of the seven major statistical categories. The Red Raiders are second in the Big 12 in digs per set (16.79), and rank second in service aces (1.55 per set). Tech ranks third in the league in kills per set, opponent hitting percentage (.132) and blocks per set (2.61).
Can't Touch This
Texas Tech had another successful weekend in regards to kills and hitting percentage at the Texas Tech Invitational, therefore keeping its perch atop the Big 12 in opponent blocks allowed (1.42).
Highly Offensive
Texas Tech redshirt sophomore Lauren Douglass was named the Big 12 Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Sept. 1. Douglass was named MVP of the Titan Classic in her debut as a Red Raider and first weekend of NCAA competition, leading Tech to the tournament title. She recorded double-digit kills in each of the three matches, ranking sixth in the Big 12 with 35 overall kills, but second in the Conference in hitting percentage, at an impressive .544 for the week. She also averaged 1.64 blocks in TTU's opening weekend. She recorded double-digit kills in each of the Red Raiders' wins, hitting over .600 in two of the matches. Douglass becomes the first Red Raider to win the award since its inception, in 2007. The Red Raiders claimed 11 Player of the Week honors from 1996-2006.
Swing Away
Bree David has been a force on the outside for Texas Tech. Her 21 kills against Bucknell are a conference high for a five-set match this season. A pair of Red Raiders sit in the Big 12's top-10 in kills per set. Jenna
Allen's 3.33 ranks fifth, and Breeann David's 3.22 is good enough for seventh. Lauren Douglass ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage (.406) on 95 kills.
Big-Time Big 12
The Big 12 will once again be one of the toughest volleyball conferences nationally this season as the league is boosted by preseason favorite and second-ranked Texas, while No. 24 Kansas is also ranked in the top-25 of the AVCA week two poll. Oklahoma, Kansas State and Iowa State received votes in the poll as well. The Big 12 has earned four or more bids to the NCAA Tournament in each season of the conference's existence.
Getting Defensive
Texas Tech senior All-American Rachel Brummitt was named the Big 12 Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week, for the week of Sept. 1-6. Brummitt was named to the All-Tournament Team at the UTPA Tournament, notching 67 digs--an average of more than six per set--to lead the Big 12 over the weekend. In the tournament finale against Lamar, Brummitt notched 30 digs, marking the third time in her decorated Texas Tech career in which she has recorded 30. This marks the fourth time Brummitt has won this award, tying her with Kelly Johnson as the Red Raider with the most Big 12 weekly awards in school history. Brummitt's award comes on the heels of Lauren Douglass winning last week's Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor, marking the third time in the Big 12 era Tech has won back-to-back weekly conference awards. The other two instances were Emily Ruetter (Sept. 4, 2012) and Emily Ehrle (Sept. 10, 2012) winning Big 12 Rookie of the Week, and Brummitt winning Defensive Player of the Week honors on Aug. 27 and Sept. 4, 2012.
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 0.61 aces per set ranks second in the Big 12 and ranks 12th nationally.
Youth Movement
Texas Tech welcomes five talented freshmen to its roster this fall, in Ashley Morgan, Alyssa Ybanez, Alexis Bell, Audrey Fragniere and Taylor Haskins. This group brings a slew of All-State and All-Conference honors, standout performances at the club level and national team appearances, making this incoming class one of the most talented in Don Flora's tenure at Texas Tech.
International Flavor
Tech's coaching staff has done a great job of maintaining a foothold in Texas while expanding its reach to other regions of the country, but with the addition of Audrey Fragniere in 2014, Texas Tech now also has three players from foreign countries on the roster. Fragniere (Switzerland) joins Victoria Hinneburg (Germany) and Emily Ruetter (Canada) as international players donning the scarlet and black in 2014.
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 only got better in 2013. She broke her own single-season record (604) and single-game record (36) for digs in 2013. She was tabbed as an AVCA honorable mention All-American for her exploits, and both her and Bree David played for the collegiate national team over the summer. She only needs 303 digs to become the school's all-time leader, after already logging 167 this season.
TTU All-Time Dig Leaders
1. Lisa Hilgers (1995-98) 1,583
2. Ann Romjue (1999-02) 1,520
3. Cristine Martin (1993-97) 1,323
4. Rachel Brummitt (2012-Pres.) 1,281
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
Players Mentioned
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