MATCH NOTES VAUGHAN ADDS TO WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS Tory Vaughan became the third Red Raider to earn a Big 12 weekly award Monday as the junior libero was named the conference defensive player of the week after recording a career-high 31 digs against Baylor. Her dig output marked the most for a Tech player in the rally scoring era (2001-present) and the most since Ann Romjue set the school record with 36 digs against Texas A&M on Nov. 18, 2000. Vaughan joined Aubree Piper (Defensive on Sept. 6) and Breeann David (Newcomer on Sept. 12) as Tech’s three weekly award winners, the school’s most selections in a single season since 2002. PIPER RETURNS AGAINST BAYLOR The Red Raiders received a morale boost against Baylor with the return of middle blocker Aubree Piper, who had been sidelined since Tech’s Oct. 1 loss to Oklahoma. Piper played in all five sets, totaling six kills and a team-high four blocks. BAYLOR WIN MOVES TECH UP IN LATEST RPI Tech jumped up 14 spots in the latest ratings percentage index after its victory over Baylor. The Red Raiders went from 103rd overall to 89th on the poll that is used widely for NCAA Tournament selections. The Big 12 Conference ranks only behind the Big 10 in conference strength as the Big 10 boasts nine schools ranked inside the top 60 of the poll compared to eight of nine Big 12 schools. The nexthighest conference is the Pacific-12 with seven schools in the top 60. BURGESS FACES ANOTHER FORMER TEAMMATE For the second-straight match, Sheridan Burgess will once again be facing another former high school teammate as Texas A&M’s Kelsey Black also hails from just north of Lubbock in Amarillo. The duo won a state together while playing for the highly-successful Amarillo High program when Burgess was only a sophomore and Black was a senior on the Sandies’ 2007 squad. TECH STILL AMONG NATIONAL BLOCK LEADERS The Red Raiders remained in the top 10 in the blocking rankings this week as their 2.98 stuffs per set average ranks seventh nationally. Tech leads the conference in the category as well. Mikia Mills is in a tie for 94th nationally with 1.09 blocks per set while Miara Cave has a 1.02 average that is tied for 138th overall. DOWDY MOVES TO SECOND ALL-TIME IN KILLS Amanda Dowdy took one more step up the Texas Tech record book against Texas A&M, moving to second all-time in career kills early into the second set. The senior now has 1,378 kills over her career after dropping 16 last week against Baylor. She passed Melissa McGehee, who totaled 1,333 kills
from 1999-2002. After starting the year ranked fifth in kills, Dowdy is now second in the category as well as career attempts. Only Kelly Johnson stands in her way of moving even further up the school charts as Johnson notched 1,925 career kills and 5,142 attempts during the 2001-04 seasons. HUSKEY DELIVERS OFF THE BENCH Brandy Huskey has been one of Tech’s most reliable options off the bench as of late as the sophomore has posted 10 or more digs in her last three matches. Huskey finished with a career-high 13 digs against Texas A&M before recording 11 at Kansas and 10 against Baylor. Huskey has played in every set over Tech’s last four matches, normally as a defensive substitute for Miara Cave on the back row. PODRAZA ADDING TO THE TECH ATTACK Seeking an additional arm for the Tech attack, Don Flora has gone to freshman Sam Podraza more over the last three matches where the California native has delivered 12 kills combined along with 10 blocks. DOWDY NOT JUST AN OFFENSIVE PLAYER If Amanda Dowdy has proved one thing this season, it would be that her impact isn’t only felt on the attack. The senior is Tech’s leader in kills and trails only Tory Vaughan for the team high in digs as well. One of the Big 12’s top performers in both categories, Dowdy has posted a double-double in 18 of Tech’s 24 matches so far, giving her 32 for her career. She is currently ranked third in the conference with 4.06 kills per set and ninth with a 3.43 digs per set ratio. PASS AND SERVE, PASS AND SERVE After totaling just two aces in its last three matches prior to facing Missouri, Tech has recorded 18 in its last four contests against Missouri, Texas A&M, Kansas, and Baylor. The Red Raiders notched seven against the Tigers, its third-highest total this season, before dropping three against the Aggies, two versus the Jayhawks, and five against the Bears. Tech had struggled, though, giving up aces of its own, surrendering 10 to Missouri, three to A&M, five to Kansas and four to Baylor. RANGEL MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE BLOCK Dravon Rangel provided some relief to a Tech front row during the absence of Aubree Piper as the sophomore has 40 blocks during Big 12 play for a 1.38 per set average that is ranked second in the league. Rangel has posted six blocks each in four of Tech’s last six matches with the exceptions being at Texas and against Baylor last week. The Grand Prairie, Texas native is averaging 1.53 blocks per set this season which is easily the highest ratio in the conference.
TEXAS TECH VOLLEYBALL
THIS WEEK IN THE BIG 12 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 Baylor at Texas State
6:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 Missouri at Kansas Texas Tech at Texas A&M Iowa State at Oklahoma (ESPNU)
6 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Texas at Kansas Baylor at Missouri Texas Tech at Iowa State Texas A&M at Kansas State
TBA 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 7 p.m.
BIG 12 WEEKLY AWARDS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Aug. 29 Molly Kreklow, Missouri Sept. 6 Brittney Brimmage, Missouri Sept. 12 Rachael Adams, Texas Sept. 19 Kaitlynn Pelger, Kansas State Sept. 26 Kaitlynn Pelger, Kansas State Oct. 3 Suzy Boulavsky, Oklahoma Oct. 10 Briana Tolbert, Baylor Oct. 17 Lisa Henning, Missouri Oct. 24 Hannah Allison, Texas Oct. 31 Khat Bell, Texas DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Aug. 29 Kristen Hahn, Iowa State Sept. 6 Aubree Piper, Texas Tech Sept. 12 Kelsey Black, Texas A&M Sept. 19 Tayler Tolefree, Kansas Sept. 26 Maria Fernanda, Oklahoma Oct. 3 Sallie McLaurin, Oklahoma Oct. 10 Kristen Hahn, Iowa State Oct. 17 Tenisha Matlock, Iowa State Oct. 24 Caroline Jarmoc, Kansas Sallie McLaurin, Oklahoma Oct. 31 Tory Vaughan, Texas Tech ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Aug. 29 Emily Wilson, Missouri Sept. 6 Emily Wilson, Missouri Sept. 12 Breeann David, Texas Tech Sept. 19 Khat Bell, Texas Sept. 26 Hannah Wilms, Iowa State Oct. 3 Haley Eckerman, Texas Oct. 10 Khat Bell, Texas Oct. 17 Haley Eckerman, Texas Oct. 24 Tara Dunn, Oklahoma Oct. 31 Khat Bell, Texas
BIG 12 CONFERENCE STANDINGS Texas Iowa State Texas A&M Oklahoma Kansas State Missouri Baylor Texas Tech Kansas
BIG 12 W L Pct. 8 1 .889 8 2 .800 6 3 .667 6 3 .667 5 5 .500 4 6 .400 4 6 .400 1 8 .111 1 9 .100
SETS W-L 26-6 26-8 20-17 21-19 18-20 20-21 18-23 9-26 13-28
OVERALL W L Pct. 15 4 .789 17 4 .801 17 5 .773 19 6 .760 16 8 .667 18 9 .667 16 9 .640 15 9 .625 13 10 .565
SETS W-L 49-20 53-21 55-29 64-32 52-38 65-36 55-36 52-33 51-37
Last 10 9-1 8-2 7-3 7-3 5-5 5-5 5-5 2-8 8-2
Streak W7 L1 W1 L1 L1 W1 W1 W1 L2
vs. RANKED TEAMS Top 10 Top 25 1-1 3-4 1-3 2-4 0-1 1-3 1-0 2-1 0-1 0-3 0-1 1-3 0-2 0-4 0-1 0-3 1-1 1-5
2011 TEXAS TECH VOLLEYBALL
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