Jayhawks Sweep Texas Tech In Second Consecutive Conference Win
Sept. 22, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Senior Emily Brown recorded her third career triple-double to help the University of Kansas volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep over Texas Tech Saturday afternoon at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Freshman Karina Garlington and junior Savannah Noyes also recorded double-digit kills to help lift the Jayhawks over the Red Raiders 30-27, 30-24 and 30-25 in their second straight Big 12 victory.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
With the win, KU improved to 9-5 overall and an even 2-2 in the Big 12, while Texas Tech dropped to 7-6 and 1-3 in conference play. Ironically, the last Big 12 three-game sweep <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Kansas had was against Texas Tech at home on Nov. 12, 2006.
Freshman Melissa Manda and Katie Martincich pitched in 14 and 11 digs, respectively. Martincich also notched 18 assists for her third consecutive double-double.
Noyes, in addition to her team-best .400 hitting on 11 kills, added a career-high six assists. Garlington hit at an impressive .379 clip on a three-game season-high 14 kills.
“Any time in this league, this year that you can get a 3-0 win, you have got to be delighted and we are,” said coach Ray Bechard. “I thought that we played extremely well in games one and two. In game three we got in our way a little bit, but we got it to fifteen all and played very well at the end of game three. That’s a very quality team Texas Tech gave UNLV their only loss of the year, they played five at A&M, they beat Colorado. So for us to be constantly pretty good over an hour and a half was really good to see.”
“I think that’s as good as we’ve been, for as long,” Bechard added. “You know we kept talking about playing a little better longer and I thought that happened today. We didn’t have to go to our bench but when we need to we will. I thought that Garlington was good today, Emily Brown had a triple-double in volleyball speak with assists, digs, and kills, and she was great. When we needed a big play somebody made it. I am extremely pleased this was a great week for us, to win one on the road and come back and sweep one at home.”
With the Jahawks up 19-17 in game one, Noyes helped KU pull away from the Raiders with three straight kills in a five-point run to help Kansas take a 24-17 lead. A short burst near the end of the game by the Red Raiders nearly threatened KU’s lead, but the Jayhawks held on to win 30-27. Brown tallied 10 assists, half of her total for the match, during the first game.
TTU again made a late run in game two to delay KU’s victory, but Noyes put the game away with a huge kill for game point at 30-24. At the end of two, Garlington already had 11 kills for the Jayhawks.
The Red Raiders took their first lead of the match in the final game, going up by as much as four at 13-9. KU battled back to tie the score at 14 before gaining a lead it would never lose again. A pair of kills by Brown and a service ace from Garlington put Kansas up 28-23 before Martincich tapped a pass over the net for match-point shortly after.
Kansas will stay at home for match against No. 1 ranked Nebraska at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, Sept. 26. The match is already sold out of reserved seating, but a limited number of general admission tickets may be available at the HorejsiFamilyAthleticsCenter ticket booth the night of the match at 6:30 p.m.
