University of Houston
10-7,3-5Big 12
Texas Tech
8-13,1-8Big 12
#22 Volleyball Surges to Sweep Texas Tech
10/20/2023 9:09:00 PM | Volleyball
Cougars hit .303 behind 19 kills from Abbie Jackson
LUBBOCK, Texas – The #22 University of Houston Volleyball team got back to its winning ways with a sweep in its weekend opener over Texas Tech behind 19 kills from graduate Abbie Jackson on Friday evening at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Houston (10-7, 3-5 Big 12) hit over .300 for the third time this season, posting a .303 hitting efficiency behind 43 kills and only 13 errors. Jackson paced the team, using a 19-3-38 line to hit .421, her highest mark of the season, while graduate Kenna Sauer tallied 12 kills and a .385 hitting percentage.
The Cougars supplemented their offensive showing with a strong performance on defense, limiting Texas Tech (8-13, 1-8 Big 12) to a .081 hitting percentage, Houston's third time holding an opponent to a sub-.100 efficiency and sixth time holding an opponent below .150. Senior Kate Georgiades tallied 20 digs, her 43rd career match with 20-or-more, and Sauer posted 10 digs, her 10thdouble-digit performance of the season.
Graduate Rachel Tullos used two blocks to bring her career total to 601, the first Cougar to break the 600 total block milestone in their career. She broke Michelle Frazier's (1997-2000) total blocks record of 577 earlier this season.
Senior Annie Cooke led Houston with 23 assists while graduates Morgan Janda and Tullos tied for the team lead with two aces each.
SET ONE
Houston cruised throughout the first set. While the teams remained even at 4-4 early in the set, the Cougars used a 5-0 run to jump out to a 9-4 lead, then posted a 6-0 run later in the frame to extend their lead to 21-10. Houston went on to win four of the last six points to win the set, 25-12.
Jackson was unstoppable in the first set, tallying 10 kills with no errors, while Cooke earned 10 assists and Georgiades added eight digs.
SET TWO
Texas Tech surged in the second set, fighting to a 9-6 lead after 15 points. A 4-0 run extended the Red Raiders advantage to 13-6. Houston turned the tables around, using multiple short runs to get back within three at 17-14, ultimately tying the set at 18-18 five points later. The Cougars took their first lead of the set at 21-20 and completed the comeback in the set with a 25-23 victory.
Jackson tallied another six kills in the second while also going a perfect 12 for 12 on receptions. Georgiades tallied seven digs and Cooke added seven assists.
SET THREE
Houston wasted no time in taking the lead in the third, winning seven of the first 10 points. The Cougars never looked back in the set either, pushing the lead up to seven at 15-8 and using a 5-2 stretch to earn a 20-10 advantage. Houston closed the set with a 5-1 run, winning the frame, 25-11, and the match, 3-0.
UP NEXT
Houston continues play in Lubbock at 2 p.m. Saturday. The match will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
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