RUSTON – Emily Boylan and Marie-Helene Verlinden combined for 29 kills and and each hit better than .500 to lead Louisiana Tech to a 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-22, 25-21) win over Southern Miss on Senior Day.
 
Boylan finished with 16 kills - a career-high – and 6 blocks on the day. Verlinden posted 13 kills and Madeline Davis added 12 more. Alyssa Zucco keyed the Tech back line with 22 digs.
 
"It's really special for us to be able to send our seniors out with a win in the TAC," said LA Tech head coach Amber McCray. "I'm really proud of the resiliency this team showed, especially down 18-7 in the first set. Southern Miss' record is not a reflection of how hard they compete because they have played everyone tough and lost some close matches in our league. Our pin hitters turned it around, and I am so proud of our middles for carrying us while our pin hitters were struggling. Leading us in kills while hitting over .500 is incredible."
 
The Lady Techsters pulled off their largest comeback of the year in the first set. Down 18-7, Tech scored 18 of the frame's final 22 points to pull out a 25-22 victory. Abigail Hildenbrand's serving keyed the comeback. The sophomore kept USM out of system throughout a nine-point run that knotted the match at 19. Boylan added 3 kills and 2 blocks to the come-from-behind effort.
 
The Golden Eagles rebounded in the second set. Tech cut its deficit to three, but Southern Miss scored six of the final seven points to head to intermission with a 25-19 win.
 
Verlinden and Mia Prostran keyed a Lady Techster win in the third set. The duo contributed five points in a 6-0 run that gave Tech a 10-6 lead midway through the frame. Verlinden had two kills and a block in the run, while Prostran added an ace. Southern Miss made a late run, but Tech held on to win 25-22.
 
Boylan was on her game once again in a 25-21 fourth set win. The junior notched three kills and one block as Tech scored 7 of the final 8 points to secure the win. The Lady Techsters trailed 20-18 near the end of the frame, but Boylan's efforts were enough to give them Tech the win,
 
Prostran and Hildenbrand combined for 50 assists. Morgan Currie and Carter Mirich each reached double digits with 12 and 10 digs, respectively.
 
With the home season concluded, the Lady Techsters hit the road for their final trip of the season. Tech takes on no. 22 Western Kentucky on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.
 
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