Texas Tech Athletics
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UTEP
Red Raider Volleyball Sweeps UTEP
September 15, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 15, 2015
EL PASO, Texas - Texas Tech volleyball improved to 9-2 this season after posting a 3-0 victory over UTEP on Tuesday night at Memorial Gym in El Paso.
The Red Raiders picked up a 25-22 set one win, made quick work in the second, 25-16, and out-battled the Miners in an intense third frame, 38-36. For the second-straight match, junior Lauren Douglass led the team in kills, tying a season-high of 16. She also stuffed a team-high five blocks in the victory over the Miners.
Junior Marguerite Grubb dished out 40 assists, the fifth time this season she's recorded 40 or more in a match. The Red Raider attack totaled 51 kills, including 25 in the final set.
"To have multiple teammates step up in key situations is important to see," head coach Don Flora said. "It was nice to see us out-dig a very complete defensive team."
Senior Carlie Foust racked up 18 of the Red Raiders' 60 digs, while five others put up five or more in the match. UTEP recorded 55 digs, making it the ninth match this season the Red Raiders have out-performed their opponent in the category.
The Red Raiders fell behind early in the first set, but quickly fought back and put a nice buffer between themselves and the Miners in the middle of the set at 16-7. However, the Miners responded to cut the lead to one at 21-20. After a timeout, the Red Raiders regrouped to quickly close out the first frame, 25-22. Douglass accounted for five of Tech's 16 kills in set one, while Foust picked up four digs.
Tech only had 10 kills in the second set, but put together a hitting percentage of .259, with UTEP tallying 10 errors for a -.065 clip. After a tie at two, the Red Raiders hit the gas pedal, keeping the Miners from tying the set to win, 25-16. At the half, sophomore Victoria Hinneburg and Douglass each had eight kills, while Hinneburg notched four in the frame.
With the Red Raiders looking to close out the match at 24-22 in the third set, UTEP rattled off three-straight points to flip the script until senior Jenna Allen tied the set at 25 with a kill. The set would continue for 29 more points, as the Red Raiders, facing set point, got a pair of kills from sophomore Audrey Fragniere, sandwiched between a Hinneburg and Katy Keenan block, to win the set, 38-36.
"Having a team grind and fight at you late in set three is important in learning how to finish and where to push in those crucial moments," Flora said. "Our staff was glad to see this team stay the course and find a way to win that 38-36 set three."
Texas Tech is 3-0 this season when a set goes into extras.
The Red Raiders concluded non-conference road play with the win on Tuesday, going 6-2 over that stretch. Tech returns home to host the Lone Star Showdown on Sept. 18-19, squaring off with Portland State, Washington State and Northwestern State at the United Supermarkets Arena beginning Friday at 11 a.m.
