Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
The Louisiana Tech Volleyball team heads to Arlington, Texas this weekend to take part in the UT Arlington Classic, a four-team event at the College Park Center that includes host Presbyterian, University of Incarnate Word and UT Arlington.
MATCH INFORMATION
MATCH 1
Date/Time: Friday, Sept. 1 | 3 p.m.
Location: College Park Center (Arlington, Texas.)
Stream: WAC International
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Series: LA Tech leads 1-0
MATCH 2
Date/Time: Friday, Sept. 1 | 3 p.m.
Location: College Park Center (Arlington, Texas.)
Stream: WAC International
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Series: UIW leads 1-0
MATCH 3
Date/Time: Friday, Sept. 1 | 3 p.m.
Location: College Park Center (Arlington, Texas
Stream: ESPN+
Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Series: UTA Leads 8-2
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (1-2)
LA Tech opened the season with a heartbreaking five-set match against North Alabama. The Bulldogs found themselves down two sets early before rallying to take the following two sets before falling in set five.
The Bulldogs finished the weekend with a 3-0 defeat to Arkansas State before sweeping Little Rock 3-0.
Preseason All-Conference selection McKenzie Johnson had 53 digs at the Arkansas State Invitational to open the season, giving her 916 for her career.
Jailen Hurley and Ashley Taylor were named to the All-Tournament team after their performance led the Bulldogs. Hurley finished the weekend with 31 kills, including a career-high 12 to open the season. Taylor finished with four blocks in all three matches.
LA Tech averages 2.91 aces per set and 16.36 digs per set, leading CUSA in both categories. The Bulldogs rank sixth national in aces per set, 36th in digs per set, and seventh in total aces at 32.
ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN (0-3)
Presbyterian comes into the weekend having lost all three matches to start the season: 3-1 to Stetson, 3-1 to Fordham, and 3-0 to UNC Wilmington.
Junior transfer Hannah Rowe and opposite-side hitter Kasey Battle lead the Blue Hose. Rowe leads the team with 2.6 kills per set and 35 total digs while being second with five blocks. Battle is second on the team with 2.27 kills per set and leads the team with six blocks.
Nationally, Presbyterian ranks 13th in digs per set (18) and 33rd in attacks per set (37.27) and total digs (198).
ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF INCARNATE WORD (3-0)
The University of Incarnate Word started the season by winning its first six matches with 3-0 sweeps against the University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff and Prairie View A&M. The Cardinals would lose their first set against Tarleton State University. Still, they would take the match in five sets.
Offensively, four different UIW players have over 20 kills on the season: Allison Palmi (38), Kyla Malone (36), Risa Sena (25), and Finley Evans (21). Setting up those kills are Anuhea Faitau with 65 assists and Natalie Kimmel with 59.
Audrey Patton leads the defensive side with 48 digs. She is followed by Malone (22) and Faitau (20). At the net, Kade Thomas has 10 blocks on the season.
ABOUT UT ARLINGTON (3-0)
UT Arlington opened the season with wins against Bryant (3-1), Rhode Island (3-0), and Air Force (3-2).
Preseason All-Conference selection Brianna Ford and Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week Paige Reagor leads the Mavericks. Ford finished with 32 kills, 20 digs, and seven blocks on opening weekend. Reagor tallied 33 kills while hitting .459 and producing 15 blocks to claim the tournament MVP.
Alli Wells leads UT Arlington with 33 digs, while Briana Brown leads the team with 40 kills.
THE SERIES
LA Tech has the lone victory in the series against Presbyterian, a 3-1 win to give the Bulldogs their first win last season. The University of Incarnate Word took the only meeting in the series, a 2-0 win during LA Tech’s inguinal season in 1987. UT Arlington leads the all-time series 8-2.
