RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech rallied from a 2-1 deficit to take a five-set thriller from ULM, 3-2 (24-26, 25-23, 22-25, 25-20, 15-10), at the Thomas Assembly Center.
In a tight first set, LA Tech fought off two set points to tie it up at 24. However, back-to-back errors on the Lady Techsters allowed ULM to pick up the next two points and take a 1-0 lead, 26-24.
ULM took the momentum and built a quick 10-6 lead in the second set on a kill by
Madeline Williams. LA Tech battled back to take a 13-12 lead before ULM scored three straight points, using kills by
Logan Jeffus and
Madeline Villarreal, to go back up, 15-13. The Warhawks stretched the lead back to three at 20-17, but LA Tech rallied to tie the set at 21. ULM had a kill by
Brynn Botkin and a service ace by Williams to claim a 23-21 lead, but the Lady Techsters scored the final four points of the set, using three ULM errors, to tie the match, 1-1, with the 25-23 win.
LA Tech quickly went ahead by three in the third set, 5-2, before ULM tied it at 5 on a kill by Botkin. The set remained tight throughout. ULM went back ahead by three, 16-13, but LA Tech answered to tie it at 17 and again at 18. The Warhawks regained the advantage at 22-19 on a kill by
Bailey Roberson. LA Tech closed within a point at 22-21, but ULM picked up three of the next four points, all on kills by Williams, to take the set, 25-22, and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
In the fourth set, the two sides were tied at 13 when LA Tech started to gain control. The Lady Techsters scored the next three points, and eventually built a five-point lead at 23-18. The Lady Techsters did not allow ULM back in the set, closing the door for the 25-20 win to send the match to a decisive fifth set.
A 5-0 run early in the set allowed LA Tech to take control, going ahead 8-3. ULM fought back to get within two, 11-9, on a kill by Villarreal, but LA Tech maintained the lead and went on to the 15-10 victory in the set to take the match, 3-2.
Wiliams led four Warhawks with double-digit kills with 18. Jeffus and Villarreal had 13 kills each while Botkin added 10. Roberson had a career high 56 assists. She added 12 digs for a double-double.
Callie Humphrey had a season high 20 digs, while
Taylor Thomas had 19,
Cameron Rogers tallied 18 and
Kailey Friedrich picked up 12. Williams had five blocks.
ULM returns to play at the UCA Invitational this weekend, meeting host Central Arkansas at 10 a.m. Friday, Louisiana Tech at 4 p.m. Friday and Southern Illinois at 10 a.m. Saturday.
