No. 16 Kansas Tops Tech in Four on Senior Night

Friday, November 17

Lubbock, Texas

6 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

15-13, 4-11

Kansas

22-6,11-4

Kansas

Texas Tech

No. 16 Kansas Tops Tech in Four on Senior Night

November 17, 2017 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery Box Score (PDF)

Klepetka, White led a strong defensive performance for the Red Raiders against the Jayhawks.

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech volleyball closed its 2017 home slate with a tight 3-1 loss to No. 16 Kansas Friday on Senior Night at United Supermarkets Arena.

The Red Raiders (15-14, 4-11) were paced by sophomores Emily Hill and Chandler Atwood, who recorded kill totals of 14 and 13, respectively. The Jayhawks (22-6, 11-4), however, proved too tough in the end as they captured a 27-25, 25-14, 22-25, 25-22 victory.

A strong defensive effort helped Tech win a set against the Jayhawks for the first time since 2014. The Red Raiders outblocked KU 10.5 to 7.0 and posted two more digs than the Jayhawks.

"I thought defensively we were really good," head coach Tony Graystone said following the match. "I think more than anything, we didn't get blocked very much today, but they influenced us a lot. We took some hitting errors that we probably would have liked to have had some swings over again but for the most part our approaches were good. First set we had a set point and fourth set we were right there to make a push at the end.

By taking the third set, Tech has now won 57 sets this season, its most since winning 63 total sets in 2001. The Red Raiders have taken sets against three ranked foes in 2017.

"We are playing these ranked teams and established programs really well. I love being down 0-2 and us showing enough fight to come back and take the third set and keep playing. There is a lot of growth on our side."

Hill's 14 kills and 17 digs led to her 10^th double-double of the season. Junior Missy Owens also posted a double-double of 37 assists and 14 digs, the 23^rd of her career. Senior Kate Klepetka led the team with 22 digs and a pair of aces on her senior night, while freshman Allison White had a career-high eight blocks.

The Jayhawks were led by All-American Madison Rigdon's 19 kills and 12 digs, along with 13 kills for Kelsie Payne and 12 from Jada Burse.

HOW IT HAPPENED
A tight first set saw the Red Raiders survive set point at 24-23 and gain the lead at 25-24. Tech couldn't hold on, however, as a kill by Payne gave the Jayhawks set point and they would win it as a shot by Redding went long. Tech limited Kansas to .106 hitting in the frame thanks to 6.5 team blocks and a combined 11 digs from Klepetka and junior Reyn Akiu.

After a tough second set, the third set was a game of runs with Tech striking first thanks to a pair of kills from Hill to gain a 4-0 advantage. Kansas battled back and led 13-7 before Tech went on an 11-4 run to claim an 18-17 lead. The Red Raiders finished off the set with a 4-1 stretch, including a block by Owens and junior Katy Keenan on set point that forced a fourth set.

The Red Raiders kept up the fight in the fourth set, holding an 18-16 lead before Kansas fed Rigdon and Payne for six kills down the stretch. Tech saved a set point at 24-21 off a kill from Keenan, before Jayhawk Ainise Havili put the match away.

NOTABLES

The Red Raiders took a set from Kansas for the first time since 2014.
Texas Tech recognized the contributions of defensive specialist Kate Klepetka, outside hitter Taylor Haskins and student volunteer coach Cristian Arellano prior to the match on Senior Night.
Klepetka made her 13th appearance of the season as libero, and Haskins got in at serve in the third set.
With a team-high 14 kills and 17 digs, sophomore Emily Hill has led the team in kills a team-best 12 times and now has a team-best 10 double-doubles on the year.
Freshman Allison White posted a career-high eight blocks.

UP NEXT
With several milestones already under its belt for 2017, Tech will hit the road next week looking for a signature win as it closes the season at No. 23 Iowa State Saturday in Ames, Iowa. Tech fought Iowa State to five sets earlier this season in Lubbock.