Texas Tech Hosts Kansas State Wednesday

TTU Match Notes | KSU Match Notes | Live Stats | TexasTechTV | Tickets

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech Volleyball returns home for its second Big 12 home contest of the season as it takes on Kansas State Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 6 p.m. CT at United Supermarkets Arena.

The match marks the first televised home contest of the season, airing on FOX Sports Southwest and FOX College Sports Pacific.

The Red Raiders (10-8, 0-3) are looking to break a six-game losing streak after a loss to Baylor last Wednesday in Waco and avoid their first 0-4 start to conference play since 2013. Kansas State (12-4, 1-2) took No. 4 Texas to five sets in their last match.

Wednesday is Camper Reunion night as all attendees from the Tony Graystone Volleyball Camp receive free admission and are invited to a post-match autograph session. General admission tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youth and are available at the United Supermarkets Arena ticket office. A reminder that the clear bag policy is in effect for all Texas Tech athletic events.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Kansas State is receiving votes in the AVCA top 25 poll for the second straight week and have spent five straight weeks ranked or receiving votes, peaking at No. 23. The Wildcats are looking to break a two-match conference losing streak after a five-set setback to Texas and 0-3 loss at Baylor. The Wildcats are second in the league with 14.12 kills per set and tops in the conference in assists/set with 13.48. Senior Katie Reininger is hitting .429 through three Big 12 matches, which leads the league.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Texas Tech trails the all-time series with Kansas State, 10-34, after dropping each of the last four contests to the Wildcats, including a pair of sweeps last season. The Red Raiders' last win came in 2013 when Texas Tech earned a 3-1 home win. Texas Tech also earned a split against the Wildcats in 2012. The Red Raiders are 7-13 overall against the Wildcats at United Supermarkets Arena. The series, which dates back to 1982, features four matches prior to the formation of the Big 12 with the two schools splitting the matchups, 2-2.

AMONG THE BIG 12'S BEST
A pair of Red Raiders rank among the best in the Big 12 for their position. Senior Lauren Douglass is second in the conference in hitting percentage (.398), a clip which ranks 32^nd nationally. Sophomore Tita Akiu leads the conference in total digs (315) and is second in the conference in digs/set (4.92). Her 315 digs place her on the cusp of the top 30 nationally. Likewise, senior setter Marguerite Grubb is one of five players in the Big 12 averaging double-digit assists/set (10.16).

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Texas Tech is 5-1 in home matches this year with its only blemish coming in its Big 12 home opener against West Virginia. The Red Raiders started their home slate 5-0 with a win over UTEP in the practice gym, before going 4-0 in the Texas Tech Invitational. Overall, Texas Tech has won 15 of 20 sets played inside United Supermarkets Arena this season.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Aside from seniors Lauren Douglass and Marguerite Grubb, head coach Tony Graystone started all underclassmen in Texas Tech's last match at Baylor. Sophomores Tita Akiu and Katy Keenan have started every match this season, while freshmen Toni McDougald, Chandler Atwood and Maggie Sagers have all started in at least three of the last five contests. Atwood (2.37) and McDougald (2.31) rank second and third on the team in kills, respectively, while Keenan ranks second on the team in hitting percentage (.294) and Sagers leads the team with 0.25 services aces/set, which ranks 10^th in the conference.

DOUBLE THREAT
While sophomore libero Tita Akiu receives much of the praise defensively, senior Lauren Douglass has once again proven to be a force at the net. Along with her dominance on the attack, the veteran is averaging 1.19 blocks/set to rank fourth in the Big 12, while her 76.0 total blocks rank third in the Big 12 and 37^th in the nation. Among the top 10 block leaders in the Big 12, Douglass's .389 hitting percentage ranks as the league's best.

Texas Tech Hosts Kansas State Wednesday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Chandler Atwood

Lauren Douglass

Marguerite Grubb

Katy Keenan

Toni McDougald

Maggie Sagers

Texas Tech University Athletics