Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
VOLLEYBALL
Louisiana Tech experienced both ends of the spectrum during the final two matches of the Jambalaya Jam, rallying from a two-set deficit to defeat Houston Christian on Saturday before falling in straight sets to Little Rock on Sunday at the Thomas Assembly Center.
The Bulldogs pulled off their first reverse sweep in 10 years Saturday with a 3-2 victory over Houston Christian, winning the final three sets 25-23, 30-28 and 15-12 after dropping the first two.
The victory improved Louisiana Tech to 2-0 for the first time since 2019.
“I am just full of pride watching what those kids accomplished,” Louisiana Tech coach Scott Mattera said. “I started feeling this way since the end of game four because no matter how this ended, I could not have been more proud of how they got back up and continued to fight.
“You can see the level of trust and love this team has in each other. The mix of veteran dependability and freshmen flashes are so special. It is just a super cool team to be a part of.”
Freshman Taylor Woods led a balanced Louisiana Tech attack against Houston Christian, joining Megan Cooley with a team-high 11 kills. Gabrielle Hairston, Kylie Rodriguez and Tyra McKinnie each added 10 as five Bulldogs reached double figures in kills in the same match for the first time since 2007 against Boise State.
Woods committed no attacking errors on 32 attempts and finished with a team-best .344 hitting percentage. Hairston hit .304.
After dropping the opening two sets, Louisiana Tech stayed alive with a 25-23 victory in the third. Woods recorded five kills while hitting .417 in the set, and Violet Morrandez contributed four blocks.
The Bulldogs then survived a marathon fourth set that featured 17 ties and seven lead changes. Louisiana Tech prevailed 30-28 to force a fifth set.
Tech carried the momentum into the deciding frame, winning 15-12. McKinnie recorded consecutive blocks, while Riley Steubing delivered two aces to help complete the comeback.
Steubing anchored the defense with a career-high 31 digs, the first 30-dig performance by a Bulldog in nearly three years. Cooley added 24 digs.
Sydnee Carter finished with 29 assists and Emerson Traylor added 22, marking only the second time in the past year that two Bulldogs recorded at least 20 assists in the same match.
The reverse sweep was Louisiana Tech’s first since Aug. 27, 2016, against Southeast Missouri.
The Bulldogs were unable to carry that momentum into Sunday’s tournament finale as Little Rock handed Tech its first loss of the season, 25-20, 25-22, 25-19.
Louisiana Tech held leads in all three sets but was unable to finish them off.
Tech built a 14-11 advantage in the opening set and later tied the score at 20 before Little Rock closed on a 5-0 run.
The Bulldogs fell behind 10-4 in the second set after the Trojans scored eight consecutive points but battled back to tie the set at 12. Little Rock eventually pulled away for the 25-22 victory.
Louisiana Tech led 15-11 in the third set before the Trojans responded with a 14-4 run to finish off the sweep.
“We faced some adversity today and came close on so many plays,” Mattera said. “It was the little things that kept us from finishing the play. It is part of the growing process and the learning experience. We have got a little more in us, and we are hungry to fix the little things. I am excited to get back in the gym with our kids.”
Woods once again led Louisiana Tech offensively with eight kills while adding 12 digs and five blocks. Hairston finished with six kills, while Morrandez had four kills without an error and hit .308.
Steubing recorded a team-high 16 digs, while Jenna Hehman and Woods added 12 each. Morrandez contributed four blocks.
Woods led Louisiana Tech in kills in all three matches during the Jambalaya Jam, averaging 2.64 kills per set. Carter led the Bulldogs in assists in each of the three matches.
Louisiana Tech (2-1) will return to action Thursday when the Bulldogs face Chicago State at 3 p.m. in the UNO Tourney in Omaha, Nebraska.
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SOCCER
Louisiana Tech scored twice in the opening 31 minutes and held off Stephen F. Austin for a 3-1 victory Sunday at SFA Soccer Field.
The Bulldogs improved to 2-2-1 with their second consecutive road victory, marking the first time since the COVID-19-adjusted 2020-21 season that LA Tech has won back-to-back nonconference road matches.
It was also the Bulldogs’ first victory at Stephen F. Austin after entering Sunday’s match 0-3 all-time in Nacogdoches.
Freshman Juliette Starck gave LA Tech an early advantage, scoring her first collegiate goal in the fifth minute off an assist from Abby Hanton.
The Bulldogs doubled their lead in the 31st minute when Madison Pensom scored her team-leading third goal of the season. Starck started the scoring opportunity with a pass to Hanton on the right side of the box. Hanton sent a first-touch cross to Pensom, who knocked it into the net for a 2-0 advantage.
LA Tech carried the two-goal lead into halftime, its first multi-goal halftime advantage since leading Nicholls 4-1 on Sept. 7, 2023.
Reagan Roberts extended the lead to 3-0 in the 54th minute, scoring from outside the penalty area off a pass from Brielle Buchanan. It was Roberts’ second goal of the season and third of her career, while Buchanan recorded her first assist as a Bulldog.
Stephen F. Austin (1-4) got on the scoreboard in the 65th minute when a cross deflected off an LA Tech defender and into the net.
The Bulldogs were forced to finish the match shorthanded after receiving a red card with just over 10 minutes remaining, but they kept the Ladyjacks from pulling any closer.
“It was another gutsy performance,” LA Tech coach Matt Lodge said. “We scored early and were on the front foot for a lot of the game. I think we could’ve scored a couple more, but we will take a win and move on.
“A missed penalty, an own goal, a red card — we did it all and still found a way to secure the win. Two great wins on the road this week against two good opponents, who both beat us last year. I’m very proud of my team and my staff, and we are excited to play back at home Thursday.”
Roberts led LA Tech with a career-high four shots, while Pensom and Starck had three apiece.
Hanton finished with two assists, becoming the first Bulldog with multiple assists in a match since Peyton Wiseman against UTEP on Sept. 19, 2025. Hanton has recorded an assist in consecutive matches, the first LA Tech player to accomplish that since Pensom did so last season.
Freshman goalkeeper Mackenzie Lorkowski earned her second victory of the season. SFA finished with 18 shots, the most LA Tech has allowed in a road victory since New Mexico State recorded 22 on Oct. 11, 2025.
LA Tech returns home Thursday to begin a three-match homestand against McNeese at Robert Mack Caruthers Field. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
