VOLLEYBALL RECAP: Texas Tech 3, Sam Houston 1

Saturday, September 18

Birmingham, Ala.

11:00 AM

Texas Tech Athletics

10-3,0-0Big 12

Sam Houston

7-5,0-0WAC

Texas Tech

Sam Houston

VOLLEYBALL RECAP: Texas Tech 3, Sam Houston 1

September 18, 2021 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Red Raiders defeated the Bearkats 25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 28-26 to go undefeated in the Green Wave Invitational.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas Tech junior Kenna Sauer's 30-kill outing helped the Red Raiders to a four-set win over Sam Houston Saturday afternoon to finish the Green Wave Invitational with a perfect 3-0 record.

The Red Raiders (10-3) tied their season high with 14 blocks in the win with six apiece from Karrington Jones and Caitlin Dugan. Reagan Cooper finished with 15 kills on a .375 clip and four blocks. Alex Kirby recorded a season-high 56 assists while adding five kills. KJ Adams tallied 21 digs and Maddie Correa added a career-high 11 digs.

Sauer was named Tournament MVP with 49 kills on the weekend averaging 4.9 per set while hitting .319 and adding five aces, 20 digs and seven blocks. Adams earned Defensive MVP and Cooper picked up All-Tournament honors for their efforts.

HIGHLIGHTS
The Red Raiders led from the jump in the first set, taking a three-point advantage on a block from Dugan, 10-7. An ace from Sauer increased Tech's lead to five, 15-10. The Red Raiders closed out the first set on a 4-0 run to take the opening frame 25-17.

Sam Houston evened things up in the second stanza with a 25-22 set win. Both sides battled with 18 ties and nine lead changes in the set. The Bearkats pulled ahead with a 3-0 run that forced the Red Raiders to take a timeout down 23-20. Out of the timeout the Red Raiders tallied back-to-back kills to pull within one, but Sam Houston scored the next two points to tie the match at 1-1.

Sauer started taking over in the third set, racking up 10 of the Red Raiders 15 kills on the way to a 25-20 set three win. The Bearkats opened a 9-6 lead early, but the Red Raiders recorded five of the next six points to take a one-point advantage, 11-10. After a few lead changes the Red Raiders pulled in front 18-17 and maintained the lead for the remainder of the set for a 25-20 win.

The Bearkats would not go away quietly, putting up a fight in the fourth set, but the Red Raiders held them off to take the match with a 28-26 set four win. Sam Houston led by as many as five, up 21-16 before the Tech comeback. Cooper was instrumental in the Red Raiders' rally with a couple of kills and a block to pull Tech within two, 20-22. After a Sam Houston timeout the Red Raiders faced a couple of set points, but a kill from Sauer and an ace from Adams tied the match at 24. Sauer's 30^th kill set up match point for the Red Raiders, and an attack error gave Tech the win.

UP NEXT
The Red Raiders open Big 12 play at home against Kansas Sept. 24-15 at United Supermarket's Arena.

For the latest information on the Texas Tech volleyball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechVB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.