Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Louisiana Tech
Volleyball Loses Heartbreaker To Louisiana Tech
10/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Oct. 15, 2005
Frenso, Calif. - Fresno State put together one of their most complete games of the season, but fell just short of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in five games on Saturday. Fresno State had a trio of players around 20 kills, as Alisha McKee had 23, Alison Pitton had 21 and Briana Rempel had 19 kills in a balanced attack, but Louisiana Tech was able to pull out of a hole in the final game and take the win 30-26, 24-30, 16-30 30-23, 20-18.
Louisiana Tech was the first team to get on the board, hitting .324 in the first game and taking a 30-26 first game win. Fresno State responded well though, and made defensive adjustments that held the Techsters to just .116 and .027 hitting over the second and third games, as Fresno State jumped out to a two games to one advantage.
The fourth game belonged to Louisiana Tech though, as they recorded 19 kills and hit .390 to even the match and send it to a fifth game, behind the play of Ambra Hayes, who had 20 kills for Louisiana Tech.
The Bulldogs began the final game well, taking a 5-1 lead after the two teams exchanged the first two points after a service ace from Jessica Peterson. Fresno State was able to keep a hold of that four-point advantage, and even extend on it until the team was at match point at 14-9 after an Alison Pitton kill. Louisiana Tech recorded the side out to regain the serve, and scored four straight points to tie the match at 14, requiring a two-point advantage for either side to win. Fresno State managed their 15th point behind a kill from Alisha McKee, but Louisiana Tech answered with a kill from Anielle Da Silva. The Bulldogs fought back from a deficit at 16-15 to tie the match, and the two teams exchanged service until a kill from Ambra Hayes and an ace by Da Silva ended the match with an 18-20 win for the Techsters.
The Lousiana Tech win came despite one of the better performances from the Bulldogs on the year. The team outhit Louisiana Tech .226 to .211, and had 14 more kills for the match. Setter Robyn Keune had a season-high 67 assists and the Bulldogs had 81 digs to the Techsters' 72, led by Cheryl Selenak's 26 digs. Louisiana Tech again outperformed the Bulldogs at the net, though, recording 13 blocks led by middle blocker Carly Johnson who had nine total blocks to help the Techsters get the points when they needed them most.
Fresno State has a full week to prepare for their next match, as the Bulldogs stay home to face the Nevada Wolfpack on Saturday, October 22. That match will be the first meeting between the two WAC opponents this season. Once again playing in the North Gym, the teams begin play at 1 p.m.
