Sept. 18, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
The Texas A&M volleyball team opens its 20-match Big 12 Conference schedule Saturday against Texas Tech in Lubbock. First serve is 2 p.m. at United Spirit Arena.
Live stats and video will be available at TexasTech.com.
The Aggies, winners of the last four meetings against the Red Raiders, are 7-1 and riding a four-match winning streak. Most recently, A&M won its second consecutive tournament after sweeping the field at the Texas State CenturyTel Premier last weekend in San Marcos, Texas.
Texas Tech, under the direction of first-year head coach Trish Knight, will be celebrating its home opener against the Aggies. The Red Raiders are 2-8 overall, including 0-1 in Big 12 after falling to No. 8 Nebraska, 3-0, in Lincoln, Neb., on Wednesday. It was Tech's third consecutive loss.
A&M entered the week leading the nation in both kills (15.65) and digs (14.81) per set. In addition, the Aggies are ranked 10th in the country with a .296 hitting percentage. Individually, senior setter Kristen Schevikhoven is No. 2 in the nation with 12.44 assists per set. Freshman middle blocker Sarah Ammerman is ranked 31st in the country in both kills (4.19) and points (4.76) per set.
The Aggies are holding opponents to a .160 hitting efficiency, allowing 10.27 kills, 9.54 assists, 0.46 aces, 12.0 digs and 1.83 blocks per set.
Tech is led by sophomore Amanda Dowdy, who is averaging 3.36 kills per set, but she is being held to a .146 hitting percentage. Dowdy had a team-high nine kills against Nebraska.
As a team, Tech is being outhit, .247 to .149. The Red Raiders are averaging 10.30 kills, 9.3 assists, 1.36 aces, 10.76 digs and 2.58 blocks per set. Opponents are averaging 14.24 kills, 13.3 assists, 1.39 aces, 13.91 digs and 1.89 blocks per set.
SERIES RECORDS
• A&M is 48-29 all-time against Texas Tech, including 18-12 in matches played in Lubbock.
• The Aggies have won the last four meetings against the Red Raiders, including two 3-0 sweeps last year. Their winning streak at United Spirit Arena is two.
• The teams last met Nov. 26, 2008, in what was the final match at G. Rollie White Coliseum for at least three years. A&M defeated Tech, 25-19, 25-8, 25-18, as Sarah Ammerman hit .560 with a match-high 16 kills, as well as a match-high 12 digs. A&M hit .471 as a team, while holding Tech to a .180 hitting percentage. Amanda Dowdy led the Red Raiders with nine kills.
• Texas Tech's most recent win against the Aggies was a 30-25, 30-23, 30-27 victory on Nov. 18, 2006, at United Spirit Arena.
A LOOK AT TEXAS TECH
• Tech coach Trish Knight takes over a team that went 0-20 in the Big 12 last year and is picked to finish last this year according to a preseason poll of the league coaches.
• Tech's two wins have been against Southeastern Louisiana and Gonzaga.
• The Red Raiders are ranked third in the Big 12 with 2.58 blocks per set, while the Aggies are last in the league with a 1.48 average.
• Outside hitter Amanda Dowdy leads the Big 12 with 0.45 service aces per set.
• Dowdy and A&M sophomore outside hitter/libero Kelsey Black were teammates on the USA Junior National Team this past summer. A&M associate head coach John Corbelli served as an assistant coach of the team.
• Tech comes to College Station on Sunday, Nov. 22.
AGGIE QUICK HITS
• A&M is 6-7 in Big 12 season openers, including 3-5 when opening on the road. Last year, the Aggies dropped their fourth consecutive conference opener, falling to Iowa State, 3-0, in Ames. The only time A&M and Tech met in an opener, the Aggies defeated the 25th-ranked Red Raiders, 3-0 (15-9, 15-3, 15-6) in Lubbock on Sept. 25, 1998.
• Six of A&M's seven victories this season have been sweeps, including each of the last four matches. Other than a 3-1 loss at Saint Mary's on Sept. 5, A&M has lost only one set, a 3-1 victory over Northern Iowa in the championship match of the Texas A&M Invitational on Aug. 29.
• Comparing A&M's statistics to Big 12 teams only, the Aggies lead the lead the league in kills, assists and service aces (1.62) and are second in hitting percentage. Schevikhoven is ranked No. 1 in assists per set, and Ammerman is ranked second in both kills and points and is tied for seventh with Schevikhoven for aces (0.33). Kastmo and freshman middle blocker Jennifer Banse is ranked fifth in the league for both kills (3.75) and points (4.15) per set.
• Senior outside hitter Sarah Ammerman needs 22 kills to give her 1,197 for her career and move her into a tie for 10th place in the A&M record books with former first-team All-American middle blocker Amber Woolsey (1995-99). Senior outside Mary Batis narrowly passed up Woolsey in A&M's sweep against Texas State last Saturday and now ranks ninth in A&M records with 1,198 career kills.
• At the CenturyTel Premier last weekend, senior setter Kristen Schevikhoven moved into eighth place in the A&M records for assists with 2,357. She surpassed Genny (Wood) Volpe (1990-93), who had 2,309 in her career.
• Freshmen middle blockers Lindsey Miller and Alisia Kastmo and freshman libero Tori Mellinger have played in every match this season. Miller has started all eight matches, while Kastmo earned her first start in the fourth match of the season after sophomore middle blocker Stephanie Minnerly went down with a torn ACL against Northern Iowa. Mellinger has played in 23 of 26 sets and has posted double figures in digs in a team-leading four matches. She ranks third on the team with 2.78 digs per set.
• A&M continues to receive votes in the first AVCA coaches poll and is listed 28th after being 31st last week. The Aggies are slated to play eight matches against teams ranked in the preseason Top 25: two matches each against No. 2 Texas, No. 8 Nebraska, No. 10 Iowa State and No. 24 Baylor. In addition, A&M will play two matches against Big 12 opponent Kansas State, which dropped out of this season's Top 25 for the first time this week and is listed 26th.
• The Aggies, who went 11-9 to tie eventual NCAA-regional finalist Iowa State for fourth place in the Big 12 last year, have been picked to finish fourth in the league this season, according to a preseason poll of the conference coaches. Defending Big 12 co-champions Texas and Nebraska are picked to finish first and second, respectively, with Iowa State following at third place. A&M is followed by Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and Texas Tech.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
The Aggies return to Reed Arena Wednesday, Sept. 23 to play host to defending Big 12 co-champion and eighth-ranked Nebraska. Match time is 6 p.m. The match will be televised live across the nation on ESPNU, with Beth Mowins calling the action for ESPNU and Cathy Nelson will providing color commentary. It also will be Fish Camp Night, and anyone wearing a Fish Camp T-shirt will be admitted free.