Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
8-16,1-11Big 12
Baylor
14-9,8-5Big 12
Dugan impresses on Senior Day; Tech falls to No. 21 Baylor
November 04, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Graduate senior Caitlin Dugan led all players on the floor in kills, but the Texas Tech Red Raiders dropped the match against the No. 21 Baylor Bears, 22-25, 19-25, 14-25, on Saturday afternoon at the United Supermarkets Arena.
On Senior Day, Dugan posted a team-best 14 slams with a .333 hitting clip and three blocks for Tech (8-16, 1-11 Big 12). Sophomore Brynn Williams followed with eight kills of her own and a .227 hitting percentage, while also adding an ace and six digs.
Both Maddie Correa and Courtney O'Brien recorded double-digit digs in the match with 12 and 10, respectively. Freshman Reagan Engler joined Dugan with a team-high three blocks and also had four kills against Baylor (14-9, 8-5 Big 12). Setters Reese Rhodes and Katelyn Cochran led the way in assists with 15 and 12 each.
Baylor took an 11-4 lead in the first set, before Dugan stopped the run with a slam. With the 17-10 advantage, the Red Raiders got points on errors from the Bears and kills from Dugan to close the gap at 20-16. However, the Bears held on to the lead as they took the first set by a 25-22 score.
In the second set, Tech and Baylor went back-and-forth to begin as the two teams tied seven times before getting to 8-8 on a Dugan kill. Baylor would go on a 6-0 run to take a 14-8 lead before Dugan stopped the momentum with another slam. The Bears had set point at 24-14, but the Red Raiders stayed in it after scoring five points in a row. However, Baylor would score the final point to win the second set, 25-19.
The third set was tight in the beginning as Tech and Baylor tied at 6-6 on a kill by Williams. Baylor would then go on a 7-0 run to take a 13-7 lead until Dugan put down a kill to stop it. The Red Raiders chipped away, coming within five points on another slam from Williams, but the Bears would maintain their advantage to win the set and match, 25-14.
QUOTES
Head Coach Tony Graystone
On Caitlin Dugan's performance…
"She's been the best player on our team, no question about it. She's been a leader, she's done everything that you could ever ask of a player to be, and she continues to just grind, fight, and do her thing. I get a lot of joy from watching her be successful and play the way she has this year. And you know, it makes me happy to hear KC [Katelyn Cochran] talking about her too, because I know that means the team has been paying attention and they understand her [Dugan's] value."
Freshman Setter #10 Katelyn Cochran
On how much the seniors mean to her…
"It was pretty special. I feel like all of us on the court were trying to play for them on senior day. Before the game, we were talking a lot in the locker room about memories at Tech. I think everyone just wanted to play for the seniors and finish strong for them."
On playing with Caitlin Dugan…
"It's been really special to play with [Caitlin] Dugan. She's obviously a great player and someone I can always rely on as a setter. I feel like I can always go to her when we need a kill. She's also a great teammate… She's never going to get down on her team and she's always uplifting. She helps leads us from start to finish."
UP NEXT
The Red Raiders host the West Virginia Mountaineers for two matches next weekend on Nov. 9-10 at the United Supermarkets Arena.
