Tech Volleyball Loses To Iowa State
By: Matt Dowdy - Texas Tech University
Updated: October 6, 2012
LUBBOCK, Texas - Rachel
Hockaday connected on 20 kills to help No. 22 Iowa State erase an early
first-set deficit and top Texas Tech, 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-10,
25-16, Saturday morning at the United Spirit Arena.
Despite
winning their first set in Big 12 play so far, the Red Raiders (11-9;
0-4) were unable to break its losing skid as Tech has now dropped its
last eight matches.
Iowa State, meanwhile, improved to 9-6 on the year and 3-2 in Big 12
play.
"It's
really encouraging to see us get a great start and play really clean
volleyball," Tech head coach Don Flora said. "The hard part is that we
want to sustain that.
Sustainability is a mental and emotional piece and also physically being
able to adapt and adjust. We didn't adapt and adjust as well as we
can."
The
Red Raiders hit .324 in the opening set to gain the early lead but were
plagued with attacking errors the rest of the way as 17 of Tech's 19
miscues in the match
came in the final three frames.
Iowa
State hit .366 in the second set and .424 in the third en route to
finishing with a .255 hitting percentage overall. The Red Raiders
totaled only a .118 average.
Victoria
Hurtt and Mackenzie Bigbee added 14 and 12 kills in support of
Hockaday. Alison Landwehr totaled 49 assists from the setter position
while libero Kristen
Hahn recorded a match-high 24 digs from the back row.
"Iowa
State is very good team and give them credit for that," Flora said. "I
think the learning for us is that we can play with any team in the
country. We just have
to be able to put more balls away in crunch time."
Emily
Ehrle led the Red Raiders with 10 kills and a .242 hitting percentage
as she totaled just two errors off 33 swings. Breeann David and Miara
Cave also posted
seven and six kills each as well.
Emily
Ruetter once again came close to a double-double with 28 assists and
eight digs. Rachel Brummitt anchored the back line with a team-high 17
digs.
The
Red Raiders were previously 8-1 this year when winning the first set
and 22-4 all-time under Flora. Tech was also 5-1 this year in four-set
matches as well.
Tech
hits the road for a pair of matches next week, beginning Wednesday
evening at Baylor. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at the Ferrell
Center.
