by Nathan Boles and Collin Lee
The Texas Tech volleyball team will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, this Thursday for the Green Wave Volleyball Invitational.
The Red Raiders will play UAB and Tulane on Friday and will finish non-conference play against Sam Houston on Saturday.
The invitational was originally scheduled to be played in New Orleans but was relocated to Birmingham due to Hurricane Ida.
Tech 7-3 in the First 10 Games
Through the first 10 games, the Red Raiders are an impressive 7-3 including dominating 3-0 victories last weekend over San Jose State and previously undefeated Northern Colorado.
Sixth-year head coach Tony Graystone said the team’s roles have become more defined as the season has progressed, and this weekend will be a challenge as Tech finishes non-conference play.
“This is a challenging weekend playing three matches in 24 hours,” Graystone said, “and there’s going to be a high volume of volleyball for our players in a short amount of time, so it’s a different kind of challenge on top of playing some pretty solid groups.”
A Team-First Attitude
Starting libero KJ Adams, a graduate transfer from Grand Canyon University, thinks this Red Raider team is special.
“I think as a group, it’s really hard to love everyone on your team,” Adams said, “and I think this is a special type of group where we actually do.”
Adams said she loves all of her coaches and her players before laughing and correcting herself to “[her] teammates,” and she said it is a special time to be a Red Raider.
The 2020-21 Western Athletic Conference Libero of the Year is among multiple transfers who have made an impact on the Red Raiders. Adams leads the team in digs with 154 on the season, and Missouri transfer Kenna Sauer leads the team in kills with 81.
Libero Alex Torres, a junior transfer from UTEP, has had a smooth transition into her role on the Red Raiders.
“I feel like, for me, it’s really easy to play with this team,” Torres said. “It’s now just putting the puzzle pieces together, and I think as transfers, we just need to buy into the system and trust the coaching staff and players and everything’s just going to gel together.”
Adams said that it is nice to be able to trust the team around her, even with many new faces.
“I think, additionally, when you have freshmen playing, or new people, it’s kind of like, ‘Oh, I don’t know, can they handle the pressure?’” Adams said, “but when I look at who is playing with me, I’m always like, ‘Oh yeah.’ I know that they’ve got the next thing, and I have complete trust in them.”
Points of Emphasis
Heading into a busy weekend, Graystone said the team is looking to improve their defense and capitalize on offensive opportunities.
Adams said she thinks it is a matter of time before everything comes together for the Red Raiders.
“We just need to increase our offense,” Adams said. “We’re gelling and we’re going in the right direction, so it’s just a matter of time before it’s all going to click, and then everyone’s going to be on their heels on the other side of the net.”
Quick Hits
- Senior middle blocker Brooke Kanas is seventh in the NCAA and leads the Big 12 in hitting percentage (.481). She also leads the team in blocks (32) and is second in points for set (3.16).
- Kanas and Karrington Jones picked up All-Tournament Team honors at the Buffs Invitational last weekend.
- Tech opens the Green Wave Invitational against UAB for the fourth meeting in program history and the first since 1993. Tech has won all three previous meetings.
- The Red Raiders have also won all three previous meetings against Tulane, including the last meeting in 1994.
- Tech closes out the invitational with Sam Houston in their first meeting since 2003 and 11th in program history. Tech is 8-2 all-time against the Bearkats.
The tournament is free to attend. UAB will require face masks indoors on campus, including the arena, regardless of vaccine status, due to the recent surge of COVID-19 and updated CDC guidance. Individuals can briefly unmask while eating or drinking.
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