Red Raiders Power Past HBU, UTRGV Friday

Friday, September 14

Edinburg, TX

11 AM

Texas Tech Athletics

9-3

Houston Baptist

6-6

Texas Tech

HBU

Red Raiders Power Past HBU, UTRGV Friday

September 14, 2018 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Box (vs HBU)PDF Box (vs UTRGV)

Hill led the Tech in kills both matches and collected her first two double-doubles of the season.

By: Ty Parker, Texas Tech Athletics Communications

EDINBURG, Texas – Texas Tech volleyball earned a pair of wins Friday to open the UTRGV Tournament in Edinburg, Texas, sweeping Houston Baptist 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-22) before topping UTRGV 3-1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 25-17).

Tech's win over the Vaqueros, who upset No. 15 Baylor last week, came in front of a program-record 2,176 fans in the UTRGV Fieldhouse and marked Tech's 10^th win of the season. With the two Friday wins, head coach Tony Graystone evens his overall record at Texas Tech to 39-39 in his third season.

In the opener, junior Emily Hill tallied a match-high 11 kills and recorded her first double-double of the season with 14 digs to lead Tech to the sweep. Senior Missy Owens served up 35 assists to mark a season-high for a three set match, and libero Emerson Solano matched her career-high with 22 digs in the win.

In the nightcap, Hill had another strong performance with a team-high 16 kills and 15 digs. She was joined in double figures by junior Chandler Atwood's 13 kills and Katy Keenan's 10 kills. Owens also posted a double-double, her third of the year, with 42 assists and 10 digs while chipping in six kills and three aces.

Sophomore Allison White also enjoyed another solid day as she tallied eight kills in both matches on an efficient .467 hitting. The Argyle, Texas, native has hit .400 or better in 9-of-12 matches this season, including each of her last seven. Defensively, she totaled seven blocks on the day, including three solo blocks against the Vaqueros.

HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. HBU)
Texas Tech led through most of the opening set before HBU captured a late lead and held set point at 24-23. Hill, however, came through with a kill and was in on a block with Keenan to help Tech flip the advantage at 25-24. A Huskie error gave Tech the set on the next point. Freshman Haley Killinger, in her first career start, led all players with five kills in the frame on five attacks.

Tech regained its form defensively in the second set, limiting the Huskies to .083 hitting for the frame. The Red Raiders had three team blocks and controlled the tempo with three aces. Kills from Hill and Keenan helped spark an 18-5 run that powered Tech to an 11-point lead at 23-12. Hill's sixth kill of the match closed out the set at 25-16.

In the third set, the Red Raiders led from start to finish A kill from White had Tech up 4-1 early and Tech would lead by as many as five at 11-6 and 19-14. Owens dished out 15 assists in the stanza with Hill on the receiving end of five and White and Keenan combining for seven more kills. A service error by the Huskies on match point gave Tech the match with the 25-22 set win.

HOW IT HAPPENED (at UTRGV)
An even opening frame turned in Tech's favor following a kill from Hill that gave Tech a 17-16 lead. Tech would pull away down the stretch and a hammer from White closed out a 25-19 victory. Owens spread around 12 assists with Hill cleaning up five of those and Keenan four as Tech outhit UTRGV .324 to .205.

After committing just two attack errors in the first set, Tech helped UTRGV with six errors in the second and hit just .140 in the frame. The Vaqueros took advantage midway through the frame with a 4-1 run that put them up 18-15. They extended that lead to 21-15 off an error from Hill and went on to take the set on a kill from Barbara Silva.

Tech responded in the third by jumping out to a quick 5-1 lead off a Hill ace. The Red Raiders extended their lead to six at 11-5 and would lead by as many as eight at 20-12. The Vaqueros saved four set points to pull within one, but a block from Atwood and Keenan gave Tech the 2-1 advantage with a 25-23 set win.

The Red Raiders got off to another strong start in the fourth as a solo block from Owens put Tech up 6-2, and a kill from White made it 8-3. Tech cruised to a 22-12 lead before UTRGV would again put together a flurry late and narrow the gap to six. On match point, Graystone checked in Mission, Texas, native Audrey Smith to serve, and Tech would close out the win on a kill from freshman Brooke Kanas.

NOTEWORTHY

The Red Raiders improved to 6-0 in the state of Texas
Tech improves to 3-2 in true road matches
Tech has won four in a row, matching its longest win streak of the season
Hill has now tied or led the Red Raiders in kills eight times this season
Tech's win at UTRGV marked its first when the opponent hits .200 or better
Tech improves to 2-0 all-time against HBU and 3-0 all-time against UTRGV

UP NEXT
The Red Raiders take on Texas Southern Saturday at 10 a.m. in their final match at the UTGRV Tournament. It also marks the last non-conference matchup on their slate as they begin Big 12 play next week.

Follow @TexasTechVB on Twitter and Instagram for live updates and behind-the-scenes content. Live stats of the match are provided through GoUTRGV.com.

Cool Moment Alert ??

Freshman @audreyysmith of Mission, TX, got to check in to serve on match point in front of dozens of friends & family from the Valley.

Her serve helped the Red Raiders take the W.

??#WreckEm?? pic.twitter.com/bwsnokgpVf
— Texas Tech Volleyball (@TexasTechVB) September 15, 2018