The Teams: Tarleton Texans (3-0, 0-0 WAC) at Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0, 0-0 Big 12);
Where: Lubbock, TX
Stadium: United Supermarkets Arena
Times: 6 p.m.
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ 

TEXAN VOLLEYBALL MATCH DAY
After starting the season off strong with three straight wins and nine out of 10 sets won, Tarleton will go on the road for the first time.
 
They head about four hours northwest to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Texas Tech poses a challenge for Tarleton, being the only Power 5 opponent on the schedule. The trip will be the Texans first ever to Lubbock.
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
•  Tarleton will head to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech on Tuesday. The match will be the two teams second all-time meeting. The first meeting came on March 11, 2021, in Stephenville as       Texas Tech took the match 3-1.
•  Texas Tech is coming off a 2-0 weekend after playing in the Irish Invitational. They took down the host, Notre Dame, 3-1 as well as sweeping Milwaukee.
•  Texas Tech made an NCAA Tournament appearance last season, their first since 2001.
•  Tarleton head coach Mary Schindler and Texas Tech head coach Tony Graystone are familiar foes, albeit while with a different team for Graystone. He was an assistant and head coach at     West Texas A&M from 1997-2008. From 2005-08 the two coaches met in eight different matches.
 
QUICK HITS
•   Tarleton is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2019 season.
•   Freshman Ailie Hair picked up WAC freshman of the week honors after compiling 21 kills while hitting at an impressive .436 clip which paced the WAC. She finished the weekend with eight     blocks (four solo) and a team-high seven service aces. In the match with Fairleigh Dickinson, Hair totaled 10 kills on 15 attempts (.667) while adding two service aces, a dig and two blocks.
•  After three matches, Grayson Schirpik leads the Texans with 30 kills, as well as having the second most digs with 29. Her versatility on the court was shown over the weekend. She finished     with a double double -- a match-high 16 kills and 15 digs -- in the win over FDU.
•  The Texans are hitting .286 on the season, with opponents hitting .186. They accomplished this despite the fact they did not return any of their top five kills leaders from a season ago. The     only returner that is among the top 5 in kills this season is sophomore Megan Haynes, who has 26.
•  Four different Texans finished with double-digit kill performances over the weekend. Megan Haynes, Grayson Schirpik, Jaylibeth Garcia-Rosa and Ailie Hair all accomplished the feat.      Megan Haynes was the only Texan to accomplish it twice, landing 11 vs. FDU and 10 vs. ULM.
•  After leading Tarleton a season ago with 371 digs, senior libero Ana Costas is back at it, pacing Tarleton with 3.70 digs per set.

NOTABLES
 
Repeat Production?
In 2021, Tarleton ranked third in the WAC in digs and hitting percentage (.228). They look to replicate that this season, albeit with a lot of new faces.
 
Conference Tourney Time
The WAC approved reclassifying institutions to participate in all conference championships as early as this fall. This approval grants rights only for sports to compete in postseason conference play, not national postseason. The top 8 teams in the WAC move on to the conference tournament.
 
WAC Preseason Poll
Tarleton was picked to finish tied ninth out of 12 in the Western Athletic Conference. With 50 points, the Texans were picked behind league newcomer UT Arlington (54) and tied with Utah Tech (50). NM State was picked to win the league and Tarleton will travel to Las Cruces on Nov. 10.
 
Impact Transfers
Jaylibeth Garcia-Rosa (MB/RS) comes to Tarleton in 2022 after an extremely impressive stint at Northwestern State. While at NSU she started all 30 matches in the 2021 season and led the team with 99 total blocks and led the Southland Conference with 37 solo blocks. She also led the team with 30 service aces. The 37 solo blocks rank fifth all-time in NSU single season history. Garcia-Rosa looks to immediately contribute on the Texan frontline.
 
Grayson Schirpik (OH) comes to Tarleton in 2022 after spending a season at the University of Houston. She contributed quite a bit in the 2021 season, seeing time in 21 matches. She was used primarily as a serving specialist, recording two service aces in three different matches. The Cougars saw big success in Schirpik's lone season on the squad as they posted 25 wins for just the fourth time in program history and finished second in the AAC for the first time ever. Schirpik's athleticism jumps out at you and she, just like Garcia-Rosa, will play a big part on the Texan front line.
 
Returning Digs Leader
Ana Costas (DS) led the Texans a season ago with 371 digs and 4.47 digs per set.  The 4.47 digs per set was good for fourth in the WAC. She plays a critical part for the team and as Coach Schindler noted, "is a fierce competitor."
 
The Freshmen
With the Texans adding six true freshmen to the roster, some combination of the youngster's figure to contribute immediately.
Megan Hodges (S) comes to Tarleton from Celina HS and as Schindler noted "she's fast, moves the ball well and will contribute in the setter role." She landed on the TGCA Class 4A All-State team in 2019 and 2021.
Breanna McDonough (RS) comes to Tarleton from Berkeley Prep School in Tampa, FL. "She has what it takes to be a good player in this conference" Schindler said. She was a member of the AVCA Phenom List.
Ailie Hair (MB) comes to Tarleton from Liberty Hill HS. Schindler mentioned that Hair "Is a dynamic athlete and has a high contact point." Hair picked up All-District honors in each of her three varsity seasons, including 27-4A first team all-district honors in 2019 as a sophomore and 25-5A first team honors in 2021 as a senior.
Joselyn Roberson (OH) comes to Tarleton from San Marcos HS. She earned first team All-District 26-6A honors in 2021 and had over 1,000 kills in her career.
Emma Burke (MB) comes to Tarleton from Godley HS. According to Schindler she is "fast and a hard worker". Burke is versatile as is evidenced by earning District 11-4A hitter of the year in 2021 and District 11-4A server of the year in 2020.
Isabella Martinez (DS) comes to Tarleton from Hendrickson HS. Some of her feats in HS include District 18-5A Co-Defensive MVP in 2021, named to both the AVCA Phenom list and AVCA all-region team in 2021.
 
New WAC Scheduling
     This season the WAC has scrapped divisions completely after having a West and Southwest Division in 2021. The 13 teams from across the conference will play each other in preparation for the WAC Volleyball Tournament that will be held at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg. The top 8 teams play in the conference tournament.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
Tarleton will return home to host the Dr. Pam Littleton Classic. Southeastern Louisiana, Tennessee State and Prairie View A&M will make up the field. Tarleton will kick the tournament off on Friday with SLU at 10 a.m. All Tarleton matches will be streamed on ESPN+.