Volleyball Host ACU in Home Opener Monday

Monday, September 4

Lubbock, Texas

6 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

Abilene Christian

Volleyball Host ACU in Home Opener Monday

September 03, 2017 | Women's Volleyball

Game Notes Watch on FSSW Plus Live Audio Live Stats

Red Raiders look to bounce back from first loss of the season at 6 p.m. on FOX Sports Southwest Plus

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech volleyball opens its 2017 home slate Monday as it welcomes Abilene Christian to town for a 6 p.m. matchup inside United Supermarkets Arena.

The Red Raiders (4-1) are fresh off a 2-1 showing at the Cal Classic in Berkeley, Calif., where they swept Eastern Washington and Dartmouth before a hard-fought, four-set loss to the Golden Bears for their first loss of the season. Following the event, junior Reyn Akiu and freshman Allison White were named to the Cal Classic All-Tournament Team.

Abilene Christian (1-5) has dropped four in a row entering Monday, including three this weekend at the Omni Invitational in Boulder, Colo. The Wildcats battled both Wake Forest and Rice to four sets before prior to a sweep at the hands of Colorado.

The match will air on FOX Sports Southwest Plus, which is available at FoxSportsGo.com or through the FOX Sports Go app. Live stats are available at TexasTech.Statbroadcast.com.

TEXAS TECH VOLLEYBALL TO HOLD T-SHIRT DRIVE TO AID IN HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF EFFORTS
With the recent events along the Texas coast, the Red Raider volleyball program will be holding a t-shirt drive at its home opener in an effort to provide support to those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Texas Tech will provide complimentary admission to the home opener for fans who donate a new or lightly-used t-shirt. Donations will be accepted at the main entrance on the Northwest corner of the arena.

TICKETS
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youths. Single-match tickets can be purchased online, at the door starting one hour before first serve, or by calling the Texas Tech ticket office at 806-742-TECH.

Due to construction inside the arena, fans are asked to enter through the northwest entrance. A Reminder that Texas Tech's Clear Bag Policy is in effect for all Red Raider home events in 2017-18.

For updates and information about Texas Tech volleyball, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@TexasTechVB) and stay tuned to www.TexasTech.com.

TECH NOTES

The Red Raiders are 35-7 all-time in series openers and have won six in a row
Texas Tech was one of only three remaining unbeaten teams in the Big 12 prior to its loss at Cal
Tech is outhitting opponents .208 to .185 for the season and has twice held opponents to .070 or worse.
The Red Raiders own a 19 to 10 combined advantage in services aces over their opponents.
Sophomores Emily Hill and Chandler Atwood have led the attack on the outside, both averaging over 3.05 kills per set.
Freshman middle blocker Allison White, who has started every match, had a breakout performance at Cal, recording a career-high 14 kills at a .609 clip.
Junior Missy Owens is among the Big 12 leaders in assists with 11.06 per set.
Junior Tita Akiu is among the Big 12's leaders defensively, averaging 5.37 digs per set.
Along with White, freshmen Emerson Solano and Haley Harman have received action.

ABOUT THE WILDCATS
The Wildcats (1-5) finished 12-19 last season, 11-5 in the Southland Conference and are currently on a four-game skid. Junior outside hitter Jacey Smith leads the team in kills, averaging 3.10 per set on .136 hitting. Freshman middle blocker Lorin McNeil provides a spark in the middle with the squad's top hitting percentage at .208. ACU is outblocking its opponents 49.5 to 46-0 for the season, but has struggled in their service game, recording just 18 aces compared to 31 for their opposition.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Texas Tech leads the all-time series with ACU, 30-2, including a 17-1 advantage in Lubbock with the lone loss in 1975. Tech has won 26 of the last 27 meetings with the only loss in that time coming in 2013. The Red Raiders earned a 3-0 sweep of the Wildcats last season, outhitting ACU .507 to .076 for the match to claim the 25-9, 25-10, 25-16 victory.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite a breakout performance by freshman Allison White and double-doubles from Emily Hill and Missy Owens, the Red Raiders suffered their first loss of the season Saturday at Cal, 3-1. Tech labored through the first two sets as Cal built a 2-0 lead heading into the intermission. Tech adjusted to Cal's unorthodox rover defensive system, emphasizing its middles in the third set to turn things around. The Red Raiders nearly pushed the match to five sets, holding a 23-22 lead in the fourth, but Cal got on a run to close the match.

UP NEXT
Texas Tech will host the Red Raider Classic Friday and Saturday at United Supermarkets Arena, featuring Lamar, UC Riverside and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Tech will play Lamar and UC Riverside Friday before wrapping up the event with UTRGV Saturday at 1 p.m.