K-State Returns Home to Host Texas Tech

Wednesday, October 2

Manhattan

6:30 p.m.

Kansas State University

Texas Tech

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Oct 01, 2019 | Volleyball

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Following a seven-match road swing, K-State returns to Ahearn Field House to host Texas Tech Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. in its Big 12 home opener.

The Wildcats (6-7, 1-0 Big 12) opened their conference slate with a four-set victory at TCU Saturday, where they registered a season-high 18 team blocks and were led by Brynn Carlson's 18 kills. The Cats' block total marked the third highest in a four-set match in program history (rally-scoring era).

Texas Tech (11-5, 1-1 Big 12) saw its season-long seven-match winning streak end Saturday with a three-set loss at Texas. The Red Raiders have won the last three meetings in the series but K-State leads the all-time series 37-13.

Wednesday marks the season's first Wednesday Wildcat 4-Pack, which includes four general admission tickets and a $10 concessions voucher for just $38. Fans can also enjoy Stranger Things Night, with 80's themed games and giveaways base on the Netflix hit series. Tickets can be purchased at K-StateSports.com/tickets.

The match will be broadcast on the all-new Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with Brian Smoller and former Wildcat Liz Wegner-Busch on the call. Fans can listen to Rob Voelker call the action on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with free, live audio available at K-StateSports.com/watch.

MATCH #14
K-STATE (6-7, 1-0 BIG 12) vs. TEXAS TECH (11-5, 1-1 BIG 12)
Wednesday, October 2 // 6:30 p.m. // Ahearn Field House (5,000) // Manhattan, Kan.
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Liz Wegner-Busch
Radio: News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Rob Voelker
Listen: K-StateSports.com/watch
Promotion: Stranger Things Night // Wednesday Wildcat 4-Pack | Buy Tickets
Live Stats

K-STATE AT A GLANCE

K-State opened the first week of its Big 12 schedule with a four-set victory at TCU Saturday.
After dropping the opening set, the Wildcats took the next three sets behind a season-high 18 team blocks.
K-State limited TCU to a .125 hitting efficiency as Peyton Williams (9), Megan Vernon (8) and Sarah Dixon (7) all set career highs in total blocks.
The Cats' block total marked the third-most blocks in a four-set match in program history (rally-scoring era) and the most blocks since recording 23.5 blocks in 2014 (at Michigan).
The Wildcat defense tallied eight team blocks in the third set against the Horned Frogs after picking up seven stuff blocks in the second set.
Brynn Carlson led the Cats with 18 kills Saturday while hitting .362.
Ten of Carlson's 18 kills against the Frogs came in the final set, as she committed just one attacking error on 19 swings in the frame.
Playing at the libero position for the first time this season, redshirt sophomore Jacque Smith equaled her career high with 19 digs.
Freshman Anna Dixon added 13 kills while freshman Loren Hinkle recorded 14 digs.
The Cats claimed their conference opener for the third time in the last four seasons and have won their last two road matches against TCU.

SCOUTING TEXAS TECH

Texas Tech (11-5, 1-1 Big 12) saw its season-long seven-match winning streak come to an end Saturday in a three-set loss at Texas.
TTU opened its Big 12 schedule with a four-set home victory over West Virginia.
Tech's offense is paced by senior Emily Hill, who ranks second in the Big 12 with her 4.72 kills per set.
Hill also ranks 10th in digs per set at 2.87.
Sophomore setter Tatum Rohme owns the league's second-highest assists per set average with 10.96.
As a team, the Red Raiders ranks third in both kills per set (13.52), assists per set (12.46) and digs per set (14.52).
Overall, TTU is 8-2 over its last 10 matches.
Tech is 5-0 at home while going 6-5 in road and neutral matches.
Hill along with sophomore Brooke Kanas were both named to the 2019 Preseason All-Big 12 team, as TTU was selected eighth in the league's preseason coaches' poll.

INSIDE THE SERIES

K-State leads the all-time series with Texas Tech, 37-13, going back to 1982.
The Red Raiders swept the season series a year ago and have won the last three matchups overall.
The Wildcats are 21-2 all-time at home vs. TTU and are 14-1 at home since 2005.
K-State has taken seven of the last 10 matchups.
The Cats' three-match skid to TTU is the longest in the series' history.
Fritz is 29-7 in her career against the Red Raiders with a 16-2 record at home.

GOING THE DISTANCE

Through 13 matches in 2019, K-State has gone the full five sets seven times - three shy of matching the single-season record of 10 such matches (2017).
The Wildcats have yet to play a three-set match, playing six four-set matches in addition to seven five-setters.
The Cats played just three five-set matches a season ago - equaling the lowest such matches in a single season.
The Cats have claimed the opening set of a match seven times in 13 matches and have split the first two sets of a match in 11 of 13 outings this season.

BATTLE OF THE BLOCK

K-State's 18 total blocks at TCU Saturday marked the third-highest total in program history in a four-set match (rally-scoring era).
The Cats' block total also set a single-season high for any team in the Big 12 in any match.
After not recording a block in the opening set Saturday, K-State registered seven blocks in Set 2 followed by eight more in the third set.
Peyton Williams (9), Megan Vernon (8) and Sarah Dixon (7) all set career highs in the four-set win over the Horned Frogs.
Following a 10-block performance against New Mexico last week, K-State is coming off consecutive matches with 10 or more blocks for the first time this season.
The Cats, who rank last in the Big 12 in blocks per set in overall matches, have reached the 10-block mark three times this year and lead the league with 4.50 blocks/set in conference play.

THREE-HEADED MONSTER

The Wildcat trio of Brynn Carlson, Gloria Mutiri and Peyton Williams have each eclipsed the 145-kill and 185-point marks this season.
Carlson has a team-high 191 kills (3.35 per set) while Mutiri has recorded 160 and Williams 147.
Carlson leads the trio with 199.5 total points while Williams is second with 186.5 points with 45 total blocks.
Carlson, Mutiri and Williams have accounted for 66.3 percent of K-State's total kill production (498 of 751).
One of the three have led or tied for the team lead in kills in every match this season.
All three have set single-match career highs this in kills: Carlson (21) vs. New Mexico, Mutiri (18) at Missouri State and Williams (17) vs. Central Arkansas.
Mutiri has also set career highs in hitting percentage (.480 vs. Austin Peay) and digs (18 vs. Dayton).
Carlson has led or tied for the team lead in eight of 13 matches and reached 15 or more kills eight times.

MILESTONE WATCH

Head coach Suzie Fritz is three wins away from notching career victory No. 350 as coach of the Wildcats.
Fritz would become just the third head coach in the history of the Big 12 to reach the landmark.
Fritz's career winning percentage of .616 is third among active Big 12 coaches.

SMOTHERING DEFENSE

K-State has held its opponents below a .200 hitting percentage six times this season, going 5-1 in those matches.
On the season, K-State is holding opponents to a .212 hitting efficiency as Wildcat opponents have only reached .300 or better only once (Ohio, .304).
At home, the Cats are limiting teams to just a .154 clip while no team has hit over .200 vs. K-State.

HOME SWEET HOME

Wednesday's match will be the Cats' first match in Ahearn Field House this season, as the K-State Invitational was held in Bramlage Coliseum.
The Wildcats went a perfect 3-0 in their home-opening tournament, defeating Clemson, Omaha and Central Arkansas.
Head coach Suzie Fritz is 180-75 (.706) at home in her 19-year K-State career.
Fritz is 101-63 (.616) at home in Big 12 play.
K-State owns a 62-33 (.653) home record since 2011.
The Cats are 5-5 in their last 10 Big 12 home openers, dropping their last two conference home-opening matches.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Seven players have made their Wildcat debut in the first four weeks of the season in Teana Adams-Kaonohi, Abigail Archibong, Holly Bonde, Anna Dixon, Loren Hinkle, Dru Kuck and Kenzie Smith.
Adams-Kaonohi, Dixon, Hinkle and Kuck are all true freshmen, as Kuck played 54 of 59 sets as the K-State libero.
Kuck is the team leader with 221 digs (4.02 per set) while Hinkle has tallied 117 digs (1.98 per set).
Hinkle leads the team in service aces with 13 and had a string of at least one ace in eight consecutive matches from (Sept. 6-21)
Her string of eight straight matches with an ace was the longest by a Wildcat since Katie Brand's eight straight in 2016.
Dixon registered 16 kills, a career high, in a five-set win over Omaha in her first career start.