Top-ranked Texas volleyball keeps rolling with sweep of Texas Tech

AUSTIN, Texas — When the Texas volleyball team finished its match Friday against visiting Texas Tech, it was obvious which team was the No. 1-ranked team in the country, and which had won fewer than one-third of its matches.

For the second time in as many nights, the No. 1-ranked Longhorns crushed the visiting Red Raiders at the Frank Erwin Center, 25-17, 25-15, 25-12 to improve to 10-0, thanks in part to a balanced attack: outside hitter Logan Eggleston led the way with 13 kills, eight digs and four blocks, hitting .382 for the match, and Skylar Digs and Asjia O’Neal added 11 and nine kills, respectively. Jhenna Gabriel handed out 30 assists, while freshman libero Nalani Iosia managed a team-high 14 digs.

“I thought we had a really good performance tonight,” Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott said. “Obviously, we gave up five aces in game 1, but I think that’s a byproduct of … teams know that we’re siding out at such a high percentage that our kill percentage and our hitting percentages are just off the charts right now. They’re having to kind of grip it and rip it and take some chances.

“I’m pretty pleased with the way that we’re playing, and the balance that we have.”

The beneficiary of that balance is arguably Gabriel, who enjoys an embarrassment of riches when it comes to determining which teammate to target with her setting.

“It felt seamless tonight,” Gabriel said. “Everybody was on — everyone was getting good opportunities to swing at the ball, and putting balls down.

“We have five of the best hitters in the country, in my opinion. It’s so fun, and such an honor to be able to set them, and go out every night and decide, like, ‘oh, which one of my amazing hitters do I want to get the ball to during this point?’”

Next week’s matches at TCU have been postponed earlier this week by TCU, meaning the Longhorns have what amounts to a bye week before hosting Baylor Nov. 5 and 6 at the Erwin Center. Both matches will tip off at 7 p.m. and can be seen on the Longhorn Network.