Red Raiders

Tech Set For NCAA West Preliminaries

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:30:00 -0500

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech track and field program is set to compete this weekend at the NCAA West Preliminaries in Austin.

Competition at the three-day meet begins Thursday and continues through Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the University of Texas campus. The No. 16 Red Raiders and No. 20 Lady Raiders enter the meet, which serves as the first round of the NCAA Championships, fresh off an impressive performance at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships May 3-5 in Waco.

"We're excited," Texas Tech Head Coach Wes Kittley said. "We have a well-rounded team on both sides and this meet will provide an opportunity for some of our young athletes to step up and perform on the national stage."

A total of 23 student-athletes along with three relay squads qualified and will compete this weekend looking to finish in the top-12 and advance to the finals of the NCAA Championships set for June 5-8 in Eugene, Ore.

Texas Tech is one of just two Big 12 programs with both its men's and women's teams appearing in the top-20 of the national rankings.

EVENT BREAKDOWN

SPRINTS
Cierra White who enters the 2013 NCAA West Preliminaries looking to continue a stellar season. White has broken both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash records this year and enters the weekend No. 2 in the 100M and No. 5 in the 200M. White is coming off a Big 12 Championship in the 100-meter dash and a runner-up performance in the 200-meter dash. White owns the top-2 times in school history in the 100-meter dash and enters the meet No. 13 in the world in the 100-meter and No. 24 in the 200-meter dash.

Meanwhile, Texas Tech newcomer Joseph Richards III enters the NCAA West Preliminaries looking to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 400-meter dash as he enters with a season-best 46.60 (adjusted for altitude) in the event 21.

HURDLES
The Red Raiders and Lady Raiders enter the NCAA West Preliminaries deep in the hurdles led by senior and Big 12 Runner-Up Katie Grimes. A Canyon, Texas native, Grimes enters the meet No. 4 in the West Region in the 100-meter hurdles with a season-best 12.99. Meanwhile, newcomer Tramaine Maloney will lead the Red Raiders as he is set to compete in both the 110-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles.
Grimes will be joined by newcomer Le'Tristan Pledger in the 100-meter hurdles as she enters No. 12 in the 100-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 13.23.

Leading the Red Raiders in the 400-meter hurdles will be senior Isaiah Gill who enters the meet No. 9 in the region with a season-best time of 50.58. He'll be joined by teammate Dwayne Extol who enters No. 20 in the region with a season-best of 51.42.

DISTANCE
Texas Tech junior Ezekiel Kissorio will represent the Red Raiders in the distance events competing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Kissorio enters the meet No. 28 in the region with a season-best time of 8:54.92 recorded at the Mt. SAC Relays earlier this year. Kissorio finished 16^th in the event at the 2012 NCAA West Preliminaries with a time of 8:58.48.

Meanwhile, Nick Rivera will look to continue his phenomenal freshman campaign in the 800-meter dash after becoming the first Red Raider in school history to sweep indoor and outdoor Big 12 Championships in the event during the same year. He is the first Big 12 athlete to do so since 2008.

HIGH JUMP
A pair of Red Raiders will represent Texas Tech in the high jump this weekend as both sophomore Jacorian Duffield and freshman teammate Bradley Adkins qualified in the event. Duffield is making his second straight trip to the regional meet as he advanced to the NCAA Outdoor Championships as a freshman in 2012. Duffield finished runner-up at the Big 12 Championships while Adkins finished third - each cleared a season-best 2.17-meters 7'-1.50". The clearance ties each Adkins and Duffield for No. 5 all-time at Texas Tech in the event. Duffield cleared 2.20-meters (7'-2.50") at the 2012 NCAA West Preliminaries - the second-highest clearance in school history.

POLE VAULT
Texas Tech junior Kyal Meyers will look to punch his second straight ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The 2012 second team All-American has cleared a season-best of 5.36-meters (17'-7.00") and did so inside Mike A. Myers Stadium at the 2012 Texas Relays. Meyers cleared 5.35-meters (17'-6.50") to finish seventh at the 2012 NCAA West Preliminary and qualify for the national meet as a sophomore. Myers has cleared a career-best 5.41-meters (17'-9.00") at the 2012 Texas Tech Open.

HORIZONTAL JUMPS
Decorated Texas Tech senior Bryce Lamb will look to continue his stellar year in the jumps and enters the 2013 NCAA West Preliminaries fresh of a Big 12 Championship in the long jump. Lamb became the first Big 12 Outdoor Long Jump Champion in school history while his winning leap of 8.03-meters (26'-4.25") is No. 2 in school history and No. 8 in the world (wind aided) and is No. 1 in the West Region. Lamb will also compete in the triple jump as the reigning 2013 NCAA Indoor Campion in the event and enters the meet with an outdoor season-best mark of 16.09-meters (52'-9.50") recorded in a runner-up effort at the Big 12 Championships.

Lamb will be joined at the meet by sophomore teammate Shujaa Benson in the long jump. Benson has leapt onto the scene and enters the weekend with a season-best mark of 7.58-meters (24'-10.50") at the Red Raider Open. Benson enters No. 22 in the West Region in the long jump.

THROWS
Texas Tech sophomore Kole Weldon will lead a pack of Red Raider throwers into the NCAA West Preliminaries looking to advance to his second straight NCAA Outdoor Championships meet. Weldon enters as the No. 2 shot putter in the region with a season-best of 19.43-meters (63'-9") and the No. 10 discus thrower with a season-best of 58.02-meters (190'-4"). He will be joined by junior newcomer Jorge Garcia in the shot put who enters No. 38 in the region and freshmanTaji Henley in the discus who enters No. 43 in the region.

Freshman Hannah Carson will represent the Lady Raiders in the throws with a top-5 regional mark in the javelin with a school record season-best of 52.16-meters (171'-1"). Carson recorded the mark inside Mike A. Myers Stadium at the 2013 Texas Relays.

Weldon is one of just two athletes in school history to record a throw of over 19-meters in the shot put, and the only athlete to do so multiple times. Weldon owns six of the top-10 marks in school history in the shot put while also holding the top discus mark of the 2013 season for the Red Raiders with a throw of 58.02-meters (190'-4"). Weldon advanced to the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the discus as a freshman.

RELAYS
Texas Tech will send three relays to the NCAA West Preliminaries - the women's 4x100 and 4x400 along with the men's 4x100. The Lady Raiders' 4x100 and 4x400 relays have earned All-America honors in three consecutive outdoor seasons dating back to 2010. Meanwhile, the men's 4x100 will look to punch its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Red Raiders Set to Start First Round At Regionals

Wed, 15 May 2013 22:01:00 -0500

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Texas Tech head coach Greg Sands is used to being in the postseason.

To a degree, the postseason is part of the regular season for him since Tech has made it all 12 times since Sands became the school's head coach in 2001.

But now Tech wants it to take it a step further and advance to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2010.

That road starts at 8:50 a.m. EST Thursday when the seventh-seeded Red Raiders tee off at the NCAA Regional Championship on the Scarlet Course at Ohio State University Golf Club.

It's the first time Tech has played a tournament at the Ohio State course since the 2002 NCAA Championship.

Tech will play alongside Georgia Southern and Chattanooga in the first round. New Mexico holds the top seed followed (in order) by Stanford, Auburn, South Carolina, Missouri, UNLV, San Francisco, Virginia, Charlotte and Valparaiso.

The new motto is simple this time - stay positive.

"I think that's something that we've talked about all week is knowing that we can't control everything out there and to understand that you have to handle bad things in a positive way," Sands said. "We're not going to worry about what the leaderboard says or what the other teams are doing. Just play our game and stay positive throughout the round by carrying ourselves in a different way."

That's a lesson learned by four underclassmen that are helping shape this team with senior Finley Ewing IV. SophomoresClement Sordet, Matias Dominguez, Henry Todd and Esteban Restrepo will fill the lineup with Ewing just as they did at last year's regional in North Carolina. Tech was in sixth place after two rounds and just one stroke out of the five-team cut before falling to 10th on the final day.

The par 71 course will play at 7,286 yards and features newly redesigned greens that take up plenty of space and have several undulations - making many pin placements difficult.

"You definitely have to be careful about where you place the ball on the greens," Ewing said after his practice round Wednesday. "Par is a good score here. If birdies come, that's great, but we just need to really limit the bogies.

"If we stay focused this week, don't get ahead of ourselves and know that if we just play Texas Tech golf we're good enough and can make it through."

No. 15 Duke Staves Off No. 17 Texas Tech, 4-3

Sun, 12 May 2013 20:53:00 -0500

LUBBOCK, Texas – No. 17 Texas Tech went toe to toe with one of the nation’s elite tennis program, but came up just short, as No. 15 Duke edged the Lady Raiders, 4-3, in the second round of the NCAA Championships Sunday at the McLeod Tennis Center.

Duke will now face No. 1 Florida on Friday at 10 a.m. at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex on the Campus of the University of Illinois in the Round of 16.

For just this third time this season, Texas Tech started the day by losing the doubles point. It came in an odd way. Duke, who was playing with just five players due to several injuries, forfeited No. 3 doubles.

The Blue Devil tandem of Hanna Mar and Mary Clayton jumped on Texas Tech’s No. 16 team of Samantha Adams and Kenna Kilgo, got separation and picked up an 8-4 win at No. 1.

Texas Tech’s No. 2 squad of Nikki Sanders and Rashmi Teltumbde saw a 2-2 tie turn into an early deficit that they could never climb out of, as Marianne Jodoin and Annie Mulholland picked up the 8-4 win for Duke and the first point of the day.

Texas Tech then added a quick point of its own in singles, as Duke forfeited its match at No.6 singles to Caroline Starck. Starck closed out her Texas Tech as the winningest player in the modern era with 96 career singles wins.

With the score tied 1-1, Nikki Sanders put Tech in front, 2-1 with a fast-paced 6-0, 6-1 win over Nicole Lipp at No. 5. It was Sanders 73rd career win, including a perfect 27-0 mark in matches played in Lubbock.

Duke evened the score, 2-2, after Mulholland held off a late rally by Kilgo at No. 3, for a 6-3, 7-5 win.

Tech’s Teltumbde looked all but out at No. 2, as Duke’s No. 106 Mary Clayton took the first set, 6-3, but the Lady Raider junior, picked up the second set, 6-2 and then added the third, 6-4, and Texas Tech led, 3-2.

The Lady Raiders needed just one of the final two matches to make an historic run to Urbana and the Round of 16.

Texas Tech’s No. 80 Samantha Adams opened up her match with No. 29 Hanna Mar like no other match all year. She jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the first, only to watch Mar take the next two games and pull within one, 5-4, but Adams served fir the victory in the first set.

Adams hung tight with Mar early in both the second and third sets, only to watch Mar pull away for the eventual, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 1, tying the match, 3-3, with one match left.

Texas Tech’s Elizabeth Ullathorne and Duke’s Jodoin were locked in a battle. The first set was long and drawn out, point for point, but in the end, Ullathorne survived for an amazing 7-6 (7-4) victory in the first stanza. Jodoin immediately chimed back with a 6-2 win in the second, sending the third match of the day to the third set and fittingly the last match on.

First it was 1-1 and then 2-2, but then Jodoin got a break and held on for the win for the Blue Devils, as she won, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-3.

Texas Tech closes out the season 20-6 on the season, equaling the most wins in program history. The three seniors, Starck, Ullathorne and Sandra Dynka close out their careers as the winningest players in program history.

Texas Tech will now send the doubles tandem of Adams and Kilgo to the NCAA Doubles Championships which begin play on May 22 in Urbana, Ill., on the campus of the University of Illinois.

TEXAS TECH HEAD COACH TODD PETTY:
“I am very proud of how we put ourselves in a position to win, especially after playing so poorly in the doubles. I felt like that was what cost us today. In singles, I think if we were able to finish off some of those first sets quicker, we could have carried that momentum into the second sets. I felt like we let them hang around and then the match started getting a little bit tighter. With the caliber of players that Duke has, they could have run away with those top four singles positions. I was impressed with the way we were able to stick it out. We made it competitive in every position and when you do that, more times than not, you are going to win. Duke has that experience of playing to get into the Sweet 16 and that probably played against us.

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON HEAD COACH ANGELO ANASTOPOULO:
“It all started with our doubles play. Going into the match, we knew that doubles was definitely one of their stronger points, and I think that we stole the doubles point. I could tell that Texas Tech was a little bit nervous, and our girls took advantage and jumped on them right away. We got off to good starts in doubles, and played doubles to win. Singles was just a battle. For Hanna [Mar] and Marianne [Jodoin] to lose the first, it kind of sums up our season. It shows how much heart we have, and how much pride our girls have in what they are doing. It was great to see. Especially at the end for Marianne there, because she was in that same situation at ACCs, and that’s the last bit of recall that she has, so that’s a tough situation to be in, but I just told her to keep focusing on points, don’t worry about anything else. She did a great job of that at the end, she stayed aggressive and played as smart as she had played the entire match. To comeback after losing the first set was great for everybody.”

NCAA Championships Second Round
#15 Duke 4, #17 Texas Tech 3
May 12, 2013 at Lubbock, Texas
(McLeod Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. #29 Hanna Mar (DUKE) def. #80 Samantha Adams (TT) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Rashmi Teltumbde (TT) def. #106 Mary Clayton (DUKE) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
3. Annie Mulholland (DUKE) def. Kenna Kilgo (TT) 6-3, 7-5
4. Marianne Jodoin (DUKE) def. Elizabeth Ullathorne (TT) 6-7 (4-6), 6-2, 6-3
5. Nikki Sanders (TT) def. Nicole Lipp (DUKE) 6-0, 6-1
6. Caroline Starck (TT) def. No player (DUKE), by forfeit
Doubles competition
1. Mary Clayton/Hanna Mar (DUKE) def. #16 Samantha Adams/Kenna Kilgo (TT) 8-4
2. Marianne Jodoin/Annie Mulholland (DUKE) def. Nikki Sanders/Rashmi Teltumbde (TT) 8-4
3. Caroline Starck/Elizabeth Ullathorne (TT) def. No player/No player (DUKE), by forfeit
Match Notes:
Duke 16-9; National ranking #15
Texas Tech 20-7; National ranking #17
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,5,3,2,1,4)
NCAA Championships Second Round
T-3:52 A-503

Lady Raider Golf Falls Short Of NCAA Championships

Sat, 11 May 2013 21:55:00 -0500

NORMAN, Okla. – Texas Tech’s bid to advance to the NCAA Championships for the second time in school history fell just short Saturday as the Lady Raiders finished four strokes off the cut at the NCAA Central Regional held at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club.

Tech entered the final round tied for sixth and in position to be among the top eight advancing teams, but a 9-over-par 297 final round dropped the Lady Raiders into 11th place. It marked the third-straight year where Tech had fallen just shy of advancing past the regional round.

Mississippi State, led by a 4-under 68 card from medalist Ally McDonald, joined Wisconsin and Michigan State in passing the Lady Raiders over the final 18 holes. The Bulldogs combined for a 7-under final round to finish third individually, while Wisconsin finished seventh at 19-over and Michigan State claimed the final advancing spot with a 20-over 292 combined score.

Duke surpassed host Oklahoma for the regional crown as the Blue Devils fired a tournament-best 12-under final round. Florida, Arizona State and UC Davis completed the list of advancing teams as they finished fourth, fifth and sixth place, respectively.

The Lady Raiders had a chance to slide into a tie with Michigan State on the back nine as a pair of birdies from Gabby Dominguez and then an ace from Kim Kaufman on the par-3 sixth hole put Tech just a stroke back with several holes to play.

Tech could not find the birdie it needed, though, as the Lady Raiders combined to shoot 3-over on the final hole, the par-4 fifth, in what ultimately ended their chances.

Kaufman led Tech’s lineup with an even-par 72 that was bolstered by her ace on the sixth. She finished tied for 20th overall with Dominguez, who fired a 2-over final round.

Unlike the 2012 NCAA West Regional, Kaufman and Dominguez were unable to advance to the NCAA Championships as individuals as Wake Forest’s Olafia Kristinsdottir and Washington’s Ying Luo earned the two individual spots.

Elin Arvidsson also signed a 2-over card, her lowest score of the tournament, while Beverly Mendoza recorded Tech’s final score with a 5-over 77. Hannah Arnold also fired a 9-over score for the second-straight day as well.

The regional closes a historic year for the Lady Raiders, who matched the school record for tournament wins in a season (3) while also advancing to the postseason for a program-best fourth straight year.

The Bottom Line Interview: Todd Petty

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:35:00 -0500

The Texas Tech women's tennis head coach joined Casey and Jamie to talk about hosting the NCAA Tournament this weekend.

Red Raiders finish third at Big 12 Championships

Sun, 05 May 2013 23:32:00 -0500

WACO, Texas – The No. 18 Red Raiders capped off the 2013 Big 12 Championships Sunday with the program’s fourth top-3 finish in school history, and the highest point total since winning the conference championship in 2005.

The Red Raiders scored a total of 117.5 points over the three-day meet to finish third overall.

“We were warriors today,” head coach Wes Kittley said. . “We fought for everything, and a lot of good things happened. I’m really proud of the way we came back and got in the mix. I couldn’t ask for much more.”

The 117.5 points are the most by a Red Raider team at the Big 12 Championships since Texas Tech won the 2005 conference meet in Manhattan, Kan. with 149.5.

The No. 17 Lady Raiders finished sixth in the meet with 77.5 points – their highest point total since 2010. The squad was led Sunday by sophomore Cierra White who won the first Big 12 100-meter Championship by a Lady Raider since 2001.

Texas Tech freshman Nick Rivera solidified himself the first Red Raider in school history to sweep the indoor and outdoor 800-meter run after winning a thrilling race that brought the crowd at Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex to its feet during the final 100-meters. Rivera crossed the finish line in 1:50.03 after overtaking four runners in the final lap including Baylor’s Gavyn Nero on the final stretch.

“I just fought,” Rivera said after the race. “I just did what I did in high school, and what I’m known for which is finishing. I have always told people and myself that if I have someone within at least 30-meters that I am going to catch them. That’s what I did.”

Rivera is the first Red Raider in school history to sweep the indoor and outdoor 800-meter run in the same season, and the first athlete in the Big 12 to do so since 2008.

The La Puente, Calif. native was the second Red Raider to win an individual title as senior Bryce Lamb won the men’s long jump Saturday night.

Texas Tech senior Bryce Lamb, who won the long jump crown on Saturday, turned in another big performance early Sunday. With an opening leap of 16.09-metres (52’-9.50”), Lamb broke the 24-year-old facility record before finishing runner up in the competition – the best finish of his career at the conference meet in the triple jump.

Lamb later helped guide the Red Raider 4x100 Relay team to a third place finish as the opening leg. The squad clocked a time of 40.36 seconds.

The Lady Raiders went 1-2 in the women’s 100-meter hurdles led by senior Katie Grimes in second clocking a time of 13.06, and followed by freshman teammate Le’Tristan Pledger in third at 13.23.

Meanwhile, the Red Raiders took two of the top three spots in the men’s 400-meter hurdles as Isaiah Gill finished runner up with a time of 50.87 seconds. Gill was followed by teammate Dwayne Extol in third with a time of 51.44. Freshman Tramaine Maloney finished seventh clocking a 52.73 as the Red Raiders picked up a total of 16 points in the event.

Maloney picked up six points for the Red Raiders earlier in the day finishing third in the men’s 110-meter hurdles.

Sophomore Kole Weldon continued his strong year in the shot put as he finished runner up with a toss of 18.81-meters (61’-8.50”).

Junior Kyal Meyers finished runner up in the men’s pole vault where he cleared the bar at 5.19-meters (17’-0.25”). Teammate Jeremy Doddridge finished fifth clearing 5.04-meters (16’-6.50”) as the pair collected 12 points in the event.

Lady Raider freshman Hannah Carson finished runner up in the women’s javelin throw with a toss of 51.02-meters (167’-5.00”). The school-record holder, who entered the meet ranked third in the conference, held the lead throughout the competition before Oklahoma’s Avione Allgood recorded a toss of 52.19-meters (171’-3.00”) on her final attempt to overtake Carson and win the event.

Lady Raider newcomer Sharlene Nickle turned in a season-best effort in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase where she crossed the line fourth overall with a time of 10:32.13. The performance was 13 seconds better than her previous best entering the meet.

Junior Ezekiel Kissorio followed finishing fourth in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:56.61
Freshman Christen Rivers finished fifth in the finals of the women’s 400-meter dash crossing the finish line with a time 53.75.

Sophomore Michaela Palu finished seventh in the women’s high jump where she matched her season-best clearing 1.67-meters (5’-5.75”).
The Red Raiders and Lady Raiders now look towards the NCAA West Preliminaries set for May 23-25 in Austin, Texas.

Senior Lamb Wins Big 12 Long Jump Title

Sat, 04 May 2013 23:30:00 -0500

WACO, Texas – Texas Tech senior Bryce Lamb capped off a historic performance for the No. 18 Red Raiders Saturday at the 2013 Big 12 Championships.

Beneath the Hart-Patterson Track lights, Lamb was officially crowned as the first Red Raider in school history to win a conference championship in the long jump. The title came after Lamb took a commanding lead with an opening leap of 26-feet 4.25 inches, and never looked back.

“It feels good,” Lamb said. “It’s about time. To come in here and get this is good; I kind of wanted to do a little more, but I got some good work in and got myself out there for the rest of the season so I’m very happy.”

His performance highlighted a big day for the No. 18 Red Raiders as the squad collected 34.5 points, and finds itself in third place entering Sunday’s finals. Lamb was followed by teammate Shujaa Benson who finished fourth with a jump of 7.50-meters (24’-7.25”) as the pair picked up 15 points for the Red Raiders in the event.
“We did exactly did what we needed to do today to put our men’s team in position for Sunday,” Texas Tech head coach Wes Kittley said.

The Tech women’s team enters Sunday eighth overall with the eight points.
The No. 17 Lady Raiders qualified six athletes for Sunday’s finals while sophomore Le’Tristan Pledger and freshman Gionna Jackson combined to pick up eight team points in the women’s long jump.

Texas Tech also turned in an impressive performance in the men’s high jump where the Red Raiders took two of the top three spots. Sophomore JaCorian Duffield cleared a season-best 2.17-meters (7’-1.50”) on his first attempt to finish second in the competition – marking his second consecutive top-five finish at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships.

Duffield was followed by freshman teammate Bradley Adkins who also cleared 7’-1.50”, doing so on his second attempt and setting a new outdoor career-best in the process. Adkins tied for third in the competition as Tech earned 13.5 points in the competition.

The Red Raiders picked up six points in the men’s discus throw where sophomore Kole Weldon finished fourth with a throw of 55.07-meters (180’-8”) and teammate Taji Henley followed in eighth with a career-best toss of 53.45-meters (175’-4”).

On the track, Texas Tech took two of the top three spots in the women’s 100-meter hurdles as senior Katie Grimes finished second overall, and first in her heat, with a time of 13.34. She was followed by freshman Le’Tristan Pledger who finished third, second behind Grimes in the opening heat, with a time of 13.41.

Grimes finished runner up at the 2012 Big 12 Outdoor Championships in Manhattan, Kan. before finishing runner up in the 60-meter hurdles earlier this year in at the Big 12 Indoor Championships.

Meanwhile, two Lady Raiders qualified for Sunday’s finals in the 200-meter dash led by sophomore Cierra White who finished second overall in the preliminaries with a time of 23.06 seconds. Senior Candace Jackson also qualified based on time finishing eighth overall in 23.78 seconds.

White also qualified for the finals of the women’s 100-meter dash finishing first overall in the prelims with a time of 11.40 seconds – she will look to become the first Lady Raider to sweep both events at the conference meet since Tiffany Green achieved the feat in 2001.

Lady Raider Christen Rivers also secured a spot in Sunday’s finals after finishing fifth in the women’s 400-meter dash with a time of 54.03.

Action resumes Sunday with field events set to begin at 11 a.m. and finals of the running events set for 3:45 at the Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex in Waco.

Adams, Kilgo Selected For NCAA Doubles Championships

Wed, 01 May 2013 23:50:00 -0500

LUBBOCK, Texas – Lady Raider Tennis received more good news on Wednesday, as the NCAA announced that Texas Tech’s Samantha Adams and Kenna Kilgo have earned at-large selection in the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Individual Doubles Championships.

"I cannot say enough what Sam and Kenna have meant to our program," said Lady Raider head coach Todd Petty. "I am really proud of them. Their hard work and effort has paid off."

The doubles competition will be conducted May 22-27 at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex/Atkins Tennis Center in Urbana, Ill., following the conclusion of the team championship, which runs from May 17-21. The University of Illinois will serve as host. All matches shall be the best of three sets. Regular scoring and a 12-point tiebreaker at six games all will be used for all matches.

This marks the second consecutive year that Adams and Kilgo have been selected for the event. They are the first two-time NCAA Individual Championship honorees in Texas Tech history.

The only other Lady Raiders to advance individually are Annmarie Walson and Paul Brigance, who were selected to the NCAA Doubles Championships in 1988, and Zana Zlebnik, who earned an at-large bid to the 1998 NCAA Singles Championships.

Adams and Kilgo are currently ranked No. 17 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The duo is 21-8 this season, including 8-2 in their last 10 matches.

Last season, Adams and Kilgo went 25-8 and entered the 2012 NCAA Doubles Championships ranked No. 19 nationally by the ITA. The duo lost in the first round to the No. 9 tandem of Courtney Dolehide and Pamela Montez of UCLA, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.

In all, the field is made up of the nation’s top 32 doubles teams. Baylor’s Ema Burgic and Victoria Kisialeva received the Big 12 Conference’s automatic bid, while the league landed five of the 32 doubles teams in the event. Joining Texas Tech and Baylor were Karla Bonacic and Petra Niedermayerova of Kansas State, Hermon Brhane and Whitney Ritchie of Oklahoma and Breaunna Addison and Noel Scott of Texas.

On Tuesday, The Lady Raiders were named one of the 16 seeds for this season’s NCAA Championships. Texas Tech will host College of Charleston, Duke and Ole Miss on May 11-12.

Lady Raiders To Host First Two Rounds of NCAA Tourney

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:31:00 -0500

LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech picked up another first on Tuesday, as the Lady Raiders earned the No. 16 seed in the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships and will serve as one of 16 host sites for the first two rounds of the event.

The Lady Raiders (19-6) will host Duke (14-9), Ole Miss (16-13) and College of Charleston (20-8) May 11-12 at the McLeod Tennis Center of the campus of Texas Tech University.

Duke will face Ole Miss and Texas Tech will take on College of Charleston in the first round on Saturday, May 11. The two winners will meet on Sunday, May 12, for the right to advance to Sweet Sixteen in Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

"This is an incredibly special honor for our players and our program," said Lady Raider head coach Todd Petty. "We knew there was going to be a 50-50 chance that we might host, but when you see your name come up on the screen, there is nothing like it."

This is Texas Tech's second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships. Last season, the Lady Raiders traveled to Coral Gables, Fla. The Lady Raiders fell to Utah in the first round.

"Last year was a learning experience for us," added Petty. "It is something that we can build on. We have the same group back from last year with a few additions and I think that bodes well for us. I think the experience factor is on our side and playing at home."

Texas Tech's senior class of Sandra Dynka, Caroline Starck and Elizabeth Ullathorne are the winningest senior class in program history. They have produced 67 wins, two Big 12 regular season titles and now two trips to the NCAA Championships. It is the first two trips in school history.

The Lady Raiders are the only Big 12 team hosting the first two rounds of the event. Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas are also in the field.

NCAA Championships
Lubbock, Texas • May 11-12
First Round • Saturday, May 11
Match 1 - Duke (14-9) vs. Ole Miss (16-13), 11 a.m. CT
Match 2 - (16) Texas Tech (19-6) vs. College of Charleston (20-8), Not before 2 p.m. CT
Second Round • Sunday, May 12
Match 3 - Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2, 1 p.m. CT

Tech Soccer Tops Baylor 2-1 In Spring Finale

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:36:00 -0500

FRISCO, TEXAS – Texas Tech freshman Alli Murphy and junior Hayley Haagsma both scored goals Saturday as the Red Raiders topped Baylor 2-1 in Frisco to complete an undefeated 2013 spring season.

The victory sealed the Red Raiders' second consecutive unblemished spring with a perfect 4-0 mark which included two shutouts.

"Overall, we are pleased with the way we played today," head coach Tom Stone, who enters his seventh season at the helm of the program in 2013, said. "We still have a lot to get better at before the fall though."

Texas Tech fell behind 1-0 early in the first half before Murphy ignited the Red Raider comeback. Murphy found Haagmsa off a well-placed corner kick who punched in Tech's first goal and tied the match at 1-1 heading into the halftime break.

"We were battling against the wind in the first 20 minutes when Baylor was all in our end, but we were able to settle down," Stone said. "Briana Rohmer ed the charge up top for us, and we really got back into it on Haagsma's goal."

The Red Raiders then took a 2-1 lead when Murphy the struck the game-winner into the upper corner from 30-yards out.

Texas Tech went 16-6-1 in 2012 breaking the school record for single-season wins and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.