CONWAY, Ark. - The Louisiana Tech women's volleyball team fell by a 3-2 final to UT Martin Thursday evening from the Farris Center. Tech (1-4) rallied in the fourth after trailing UTM (2-2) two sets to one, but could not get over the hump, falling in the fifth set for the third time this season.

Box Score

A pair of youngsters shone offensively for the Techsters, as rookies Gina Cortesi and Carter Mirich combined for 34 kills. Cortesi, the most consistent offensive threat for Tech on the evening, notched her third double-double of the young season, while adding 10 digs to her stat line. The Torrance, California, native hit a respectable .240 on a team-high 50 attacks throughout the contest. Mirich registered her first career double-double with 13 kills and 10 digs.

Tech began the evening with a convincing first-set triumph fueled by stingy defense that held the Skyhawks to a paltry .026 attack percentage in the frame. However, the Skyhawks snatched the early momentum from the Techsters with wins in both sets two and three.

In the fourth, Tech minimized its mistakes, making just four errors in the set, and sent the match to a winner-take-all fifth frame. In the fifth, the Skyhawk offense exploded for 10 kills and no errors while hitting .476 to take the set and the match.

Marta Monne, Cortesi and Mirich all finished with 10+ kills to pace the Techster offense. Courtney Rutledge stepped up when pressed into action for the first time this season and finished with a 13-assist, 10-dig double-double - her first since August 26, 2016.¬ Her 10 digs also tied a career high. Madeline Davis continued her strong play from the middle, adding eight more blocks and boosting her total in the category to a team high 29 on the young season.

Tech will return to action Monday evening from Starkville, Mississippi, against SEC foe Mississippi State. The Techsters are 0-8 all-time against the Bulldogs and will look to snap the streak at 6 p.m. CT. Live stats can be found here.

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