The Texas Tech volleyball team rallied from two sets down to climb past North Dakota State, 3-2, Friday night at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. With the win, the Red Raiders (3-2) finish 2-0 at the North Dakota State Classic after sweeping South Dakota State Friday morning.
The Bison edged the Red Raiders in the first two sets before Tech came to life in the third frame to force a fourth set. It was then that the Red Raiders found their rhythm, storming to a dominant fourth set win on their way to the 21-25, 25-27, 25-22, 25-12, 15-11 victory.
“It was a huge win for us tonight,” head coach Tony Graystone said. “I was so proud to see them respond after going down 0-2 on the road. It says a lot about our group and how far we’ve come in a short time. I’m especially proud of our freshmen tonight. They really stepped up and led the charge as we turned the match around. Courtney Ensch and Lauren Douglass were incredible tonight, and Tita (Reyn Akiu) was terrific in the back row.”
Texas Tech racked up 68 kills in the victory with three Red Raiders finishing in double figures. Senior Lauren Douglass paced Tech with a game-high 16 kills, junior Courtney Ensch recorded a career-high 15, and added 11 for the second straight contest.
Senior Marguerite Grubb showed off her versatility, compiling 57 assists in the victory, a season-best for the Houston native. She also posted nine digs, five kills and a block. Sophomore Reyn Akiu posted a career-high 23 digs, while freshmen Maggie Sagers tallied 15 digs and Kylie Rittimann added 10, respectively.
The Bison maintained a tight lead throughout the first set thanks to six service errors committed by the Red Raiders. A kill by freshman Toni McDougald pulled Tech to within 20-19, but NDSU would hold on to take the first set 25-21.
The second set was a back and forth affair with five ties and two lead changes. Tech held a 22-19 advantage, but the Bison attack, which hit at a .319 clip in the set, was too much down the stretch and pushed the Bison to a 27-25 second-set win.
The Red Raiders battled back to force a fourth set with Douglass enforcing her will on the attack. The Flower Mound, Texas, native was set up by Grubb for a kill to give the Red Raiders the lead for good in the set at 22-21, while McDougald and sophomore Katy Keenan helped close the set out, 25-22.
The Texas Tech attack dominated the fourth set, accumulating a .375 hitting percentage. Tech jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the frame thanks to three strong kills from freshman Chandler Atwood, and the Red Raiders closed with 14 of the last 19 points to take the set, 25-12.
The fifth set remained even early on with five ties, but the Red Raiders pulled away late. McDougald put Tech up 9-7 with a kill, before Ensch gave Tech a 12-7 advantage with a kill of her own. Douglass earned the final two kills for the Red Raiders, who took the set 15-11.
Tech wraps up its weekend in Grand Rapids, N.D., Saturday with a road contest at North Dakota at 7 p.m.
