Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
College of Charleston
Tech opens Bulldog Classic with sweep against Charleston
September 02, 2022 | Women's Volleyball
ATHENS, Ga. – Recording their best start since 2018, the Texas Tech Red Raiders swept the College of Charleston Cougars, 25-21, 25-19, 25-13, on Friday afternoon at the Stegeman Coliseum. Tech moves to 4-0 on the season after picking up their first win of the Bulldog Classic Tournament.
Senior Kenna Sauer collected her second double-double of the year after posting 15 kills and 12 digs, while hitting an impressive .652. In addition, Sauer did not have a single hitting error in 23 attacks.
Sophomore libero Maddie Correa led the match with 14 digs and fifth-year senior Karrington Jones tallied four blocks (one BS, three BA). Jones also added eight kills in the match. Freshman Currie Marusak played in all three sets, picking up a career-high six kills and a block. Junior Maddie O'Brien had a solid day after collecting five kills, five digs, three blocks and two aces.
As a team, Tech held Charleston to just .125 hitting as they picked up 34 kills on 112 attacks. The Red Raiders totaled 45 kills on a .357 hitting clip, 41 assists, six blocks, five aces and 49 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set One
The first set was a back-and-forth affair as both teams traded points early. Tied 8-8, three-straight kills from Sauer gave the Red Raiders an 11-8 advantage. Charleston cut into the Tech lead, 15-14, but the Red Raiders earned three more points on kills from Jones and Sauer. Tech ended the set on a 3-1 run when a few kills from Marusak and Sauer to put the Cougars away, 25-21.
Set Two
Just like the first set, the second set started with another tie. Charleston was able to take a 4-2 lead to begin the set, but Tech earned three points to tie it up at 5-all with slams from Marusak and O'Brien. Tied up at 12-12, the Red Raiders went on a 3-0 run sparked by an error from the Cougars. Leading 21-18, Correa would pick up a kill of her own after digging a hard-hit ball, then Tech won three of the next four points to close out the set, 25-19.
Set Three
Texas Tech started the third set with a lot of momentum, going on a 6-1 run. The Cougars would pick things up and cut into the lead to make it 8-7 in Tech's favor, but another kill from Sauer allowed the Red & Black to maintain the advantage. Another 5-0 Tech run ensued when Jones slammed down a kill. The Cougars only scored three more points after that as the Red Raiders completed the sweep with a 25-13 third set.
Notables
- This is the team's first 4-0 start to a season since 2018 when Tech defeated Northwestern State, North Dakota, Rice and ACU.
- The Red Raiders have held all four opponents they faced to hitting clips below .200 (Milwaukee - .196; Notre Dame - .156; College of Charleston - .125; and Tarleton - .071).
- Texas Tech has swept three opponents in a row and has only dropped one set so far.
- Kenna Sauer recorded her second double-double of the season with 15 kills and 12 digs… She is one of two Red Raiders to post a double-double so far, the other being Reese Rhodes.
- Maddie Correa has collected double-digit digs in all four matches after her 14-dig performance against the Cougars.
- Currie Marusak posted a career-high in kills with six and made her first start in the second set of the match.
- Junior Jac St. Cin made her Red & Black debut and recorded a kill in her first attack.
- Freshman Ellie Baumert also made her debut of the season and dished out an assist.
Up Next
The Red Raiders face Charlotte and host Georgia tomorrow, Sept. 3 at 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p,m. CT, respectively, to conclude the tournament.
