Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Volleyball To Host Lone Star Showdown
September 17, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 17, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech volleyball returns home after an eight-match road swing for the Lone Star Showdown on Sept. 18-19 at the United Supermarkets Arena.
The Red Raiders will take on Portland State (11 a.m.) and Washington State (7 p.m.) on Friday, and wrap up with Northwestern State (1:30 p.m.) on Saturday.
NON-CON DOMINATION
The Red Raiders will look to improve its stellar non-conference record this weekend, as Tech is a combined 53-18 against out-of-league opponents under Coach Flora. Tech went 14-2 against non-conference opponents in Flora's first season, turned in an 11-5 mark in 2012 and went 7-9 the following year. However, last year the Red Raiders got off to a hot start, going 12-0 through non-conference play, the first time they had done so since 1996. During that stretch, Tech has gone 18-2 when hosting out-of-league opponents at the United Supermarkets Arena, while putting up a 21-6 record when playing at a neutral site. Both of the home non-conference losses under Flora came during the injury-riddled 2013 season.
NATIONAL FIREPOWER
Junior Lauren Douglass has strung together a strong non-conference portion of the 2015 season, putting up the top hitting percentage in the Big 12 and the second-best in the NCAA (.516). The Flower Mound, Texas, native has posted 109 kills this season, including back-to-back matches of 16 against George Washington and UTEP. Through 11 matches, she owns the top three hitting percentages in the conference, which features a best of .688 against Columbia on Sept. 4.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
In their nine victories this season, the Red Raiders have only dropped two sets out of the 29 played. The first came against Houston and went into extra frames before the Red Raiders fell, 31-29, while the second came in a battle against George Washington, 25-22. Under Coach Flora, Tech is 46-13 when claiming the first set.
GETTIN' DEFENSIVE
Opponents have found it difficult to mount a successful attack against the Red Raiders this season. Overall, opponents have posted a .111 mark against Tech, which ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 and is fourth in the NCAA. In five of seven matches, Texas Tech has held their opponents to a hitting percentage below .100, including three times at the SFA Invitational. Against South Dakota State, Tech kept the Jackrabbits to a .000 attack percentage in the three-set victory. Under Flora, the Red Raiders are 24-0 when holding their opponents to a percentage under .100.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
At the center of the Red Raider attack is junior Marguerite Grubb, who has jumped out to an average of 11.53 assists per set. At the Kristen Dickmann Invitational, she notched a season-high 52 in the win over George Washington. Her marks put her at second in the conference and No. 10 in the country with a total of 415 assists. Last season, she averaged 9.62 assists per set, which ranked sixth in the Big 12.
