Pack The House
 
Record Crowd not Enough for Tech


 

  
Updated Oct 12, 2006 15:14:23


Record Crowd not Enough for Tech


Boxscore

RUSTON, La. – The Louisiana Tech volleyball team battled with No. 11 Hawaii in the first two games of a three-game loss in front of a record crowd. The crowd of 736 was an attendance record for a volleyball match at the Thomas Assembly Center.

Lady Techster volleyball coach Heather Mazeitis said the record crowd created a charged atmosphere to play in and added to the excitement of the match.

“It was a great crowd and a very fun environment,” Mazeitis said. “I felt like Games 1 and 2 we blocked well and passed well. I’m a little disappointed in the way we played Game 3, but with this group it comes down to inexperience.”

Mazeitis said against a powerhouse like Hawaii (12-4, 7-0 WAC) there is no room for mistakes. An example was in Game 1, Mazeitis said, in losing 30-25 and having five service errors.

Tech (6-17, 0-7) dropped the other games 30-20 and 30-14. Ambra Hayes and Samantha Crowder led the Lady Techsters with seven kills apiece, but it was errors that proved Tech’s demise with a total of 30 to negate its 30 kills.

Hawaii, however, had a hitting percentage of .236 with 44 kills and 23 errors. Jamie Houston led the way with 19 kills. The Rainbow Wahine also won the service battle with five aces and only four errors to Tech’s lone ace and nine errors.

Despite being swept, Mazeitis said she was glad to see her team play hard to the end. When, Hawaii pulled away to a big lead in Game 3, the Lady Techsters did not fold.

“The girls stayed aggressive throughout the entire match, and for us that’s important,” Mazeitis said. “Even when we got blocked or they got a great kill, the girls kept playing.”

The Lady Techsters will face take on San Jose State on the road Thursday night before heading to Fresno State to complete their road trip Saturday.