Texas Tech posts commanding win over Notre Dame

LUBBOCK, Texas – Behind another double-digit kill performance by sophomore Brynn Williams, the Texas Tech Red Raiders earned a four-set victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (25-19, 25-17, 14-25, 25-17) on Saturday night in front of 1,025 fans at the United Supermarkets Arena.

Williams, who posted her second game of the season boasting 20 or more kills, also totaled 50 attacks and an impressive .240 hitting clip as Tech (3-0) would overtake the Irish (1-1). Following Williams on the offensive side was graduate Caitlin Dugan, who recorded seven kills on 24 attacks (.208) while adding two more blocks.

Freshman Reagan Engler led the team with a .667 hitting percentage after tallying six kills on nine swings, and also collected three blocks on the night. In addition, senior Reese Rhodes posted her first double-double of the year after totaling 35 assists and 12 digs, while also adding three kills and six blocks.

Freshman Kate Hansen had a great night after putting together another team-leading blocking performance with seven. Graduate Emily Merrick went 8-for-21 on the night for a .286 hitting clip while recording three blocks. Junior Maddie Correa posted a team-high 15 digs on the night as freshman Abby Dickinson followed with eight, including a team-leading three aces. As a team, Tech hit .240 after getting 48 kills on 129 attacks, and held the Irish to a .130 hitting clip and under 20 points in all three sets won.

In the first set, the Red Raiders went down early as Notre Dame took a 4-3 lead. The Irish continued to rally, eventually having the 7-4 advantage before Tech kicked it into gear and went on a 3-0 run to tie things at 7-7. Taking a 19-16 lead on a Williams slam, Tech would only allow the Irish to win three more points in the set to claim it, 25-19.

Tech immediately took command of the second set after an 8-1 run, highlighted by two aces from Dickinson and kills from Williams and Engler. The Red Raiders kept the momentum and would force an attack error with a huge block by Rhodes and Hansen to lead 15-5. Going ahead 24-17, Tech earned the set on another Williams kill to win by a score of 25-17.

Unlike the first two sets, the Irish would take a 4-1 lead and carry that for the entirety of the set to stay alive. The Red Raiders tried to cut into Notre Dame’s advantage after Engler put down a kill for a 10-16 deficit, but the Irish held on to claim it, 25-14.

Tech began the fourth set on a 5-2 run with four Williams slams in the timespan. Notre Dame clawed back, making it 7-6 on a kill from Nicole Drewnick, before the Scarlet & Black retook control. Going ahead 15-10, the Red Raiders went on a 3-0 run before the Irish stopped it. Leading 22-17, Tech would get the next three points on kills from Merrick and Williams as an Irish attack error would seal the victory, 25-17.

UP NEXT

The Red Raiders look to go undefeated at the Under Armour Challenge with their final match on Sunday, August 27 at 2 p.m. in the United Supermarkets Arena against the Abilene Christian Wildcats.

–TECH–

Release provided by Casey Montalvo Texas Tech Athletics