Texas Tech Athletics
10-21, 0-16Big 12
Kansas State
20-9, 9-7Big 12
Red Raiders Fall at Kansas State in Season Finale
November 26, 2016 | Women's Volleyball
Senior Lauren Douglass closes historic career with team-high nine kills on 18 attacks.
MANHATTAN, Kansas – Texas Tech volleyball's season came to an end with a 3-0 loss at Kansas State Saturday at Ahearn Field House.
The Wildcats (10-9, 9-7) had their balanced offensive attack on full display with five players collecting seven kills or more while limiting the Red Raiders to a .084 clip en route to the 25-16, 25-21, 25-17 victory.
"Our effort was pretty good," Graystone said. "We just got stuck in a couple of rotations. We got in those last two rotations, and it's been hard for us to sideout without Sarah (Redding) in the front row. I'm happy that Lauren (Douglass) played so well in her last match and that we were able to get Victoria (Hinneburg) some playing time. Those three seniors have been so good with helping our transition to Tech."
Despite winning two more sets in Big 12 play this season than in 2015, the Red Raiders (10-21, 0-16) wrap up their first year under the direction of head coach Tony Graystone winless in conference play.
"Anybody who followed us all year would agree in how much improvement we made in the second half of the year," Graystone said. "There's an element of being able to finish that we have to get, and then we have to look at each position and get a little bit better. Some of these young girls have had that year now and we expect them to grow. There's still a lot of work to do, but I'm encouraged with what we saw this year."
Senior Lauren Douglass led the team with nine kills at a .333 clip while adding two blocks. The Flower Mound native wraps up her storied career second in the Texas Tech record books with a .343 career hitting percentage. Senior Marguerite Grubb recorded 23 assists in her final game as a Red Raider, while sophomore libero Reyn Akiu tallied 12 digs to lead the team.
Kansas State took an early 7-2 lead in the first and held the lead throughout the frame, outhitting the Red Raiders .393 to .111 to secure the set.
The Red Raiders got off to a strong start in the second set behind an early kill from freshman Chandler Atwood and a block from Douglass and Grubb to help capture a 5-3 lead. Tech remained in front at 17-15 before the Wildcats stole the lead with a 3-0 run to go up 18-17. Tech took the lead back at 20-19 off a solo block from sophomore Sarah Redding, but the Wildcats would close on a 6-1 spurt to take a 2-0 lead in the match. The Red Raiders held the Wildcats to .167 hitting for the frame, but hit just .027 themselves.
Texas Tech battled in the third set and pulled to within 16-19, but the Wildcats would again put together a 6-1 run to close the set and take the victory.
