BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Louisiana Tech Volleyball team fell in a five-set heartbreaker to the host UAB Blazers on Friday evening from Bartow Arena.
 
Despite owning a 2-0 lead in the match, the Lady Techsters (6-19, 1-9 C-USA) were unable to hold off a hard-charging UAB (12-12, 4-6 C-USA) squad.
 
For the first time all season, Tech saw four players notch double-digit kills as junior Jayde Penn (15), Kaitlyn Adams (13), Lara Hendricks (13) and Carter Mirich (10) paced the offense on the evening.
 
Setters Mia Prostran and Abigail Hildenbrand combined for 53 of the team's 60 assists, while Madeline Davis let the team with five total blocks.
 
The first set was a competitive back-and-forth affair between the Lady Techsters and Blazers as neither team led by more than four points at any point. With the score even at 26, Tech capitalized on a UAB attack error followed by a kill from Hendricks, sealing the 28-26 first set triumph.
 
In the second frame, Tech took its first lead at 5-4 and never looked back, staking a 25-23 victory and taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Facing a 2-0 deficit, UAB quickly raced out to a 7-2 lead in the third set. However, the Lady Techsters countered, taking nine of the next 11 points en route to an 11-9 lead. Both teams traded blows until the score was knotted at 22. Following a UAB timeout, the Blazers ended the frame on a 3-0 run to clinch the set, 25-22.
 
In the fourth, UAB once again staked an early lead, forcing Tech to call a timeout at 13-5. However, the Lady Techsters stormed back to take nine of the next 11 points yet again, cutting the UAB lead to one at 15-14. From there, the Blazers maintained their lead, eventually sealing a 25-20 set victory to tie the match at two sets apiece.
 
In the do-or-die fifth set, both teams traded points back and forth as neither led by more than two for the entirety of the set. Following a kill from Hendricks, the Lady Techsters held match point at 14-13, but following a timeout, the Blazers knotted the match at 14. Hendricks once again gave LA Tech match point with her 13th kill of the evening, but the Blazers buckled down and ended the match on a 3-0 run.
 
The Lady Techsters return to the court on Sunday, Oct. 28 as LA Tech will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, to face the 49ers in a conference match.
 
For complete coverage of the 2018 Louisiana Tech Volleyball team, be sure to follow @LATechVB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.