RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech volleyball team returns to the court this weekend with a pair of matches at UAB on Saturday and Sunday in Birmingham, Alabama. Saturday's match is set to begin at 11 a.m., while Sunday's contest is slated for 1 p.m. Both matches will be played in UAB's Bartow Arena.
 
UAB will stream both Saturday and Sunday's matches live on CUSA.tv. Both matches can also be followed via the attached Live Stats link.
 
LA Tech has played four Conference USA matches that count toward conference standings in 2021, traveling to Rice on Feb. 7-8 before hosting Southern Miss this past weekend. The Lady Techsters have eight Conference USA matches remaining on their schedule – four on the road and four inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
 
About the Lady Techsters
LA Tech dropped a pair of matches to Southern Miss on Sunday and Monday inside the Thomas Assembly Center. The Lady Techsters notched a 25-22 victory in the first set on Sunday, using two kills from freshman Samantha Hicks to secure two of the final three points in the set triumph. The Golden Eagles responded by reeling off three straight set victories to clinch the match 3-1 on Sunday.
 
Southern Miss built off its momentum from Sunday to sweep the Lady Techsters in Monday's match. Senior Carter Mirich tallied 11 total kills between the pair of conference matches to pace the Lady Techsters, while junior Abigail Hildenbrand recorded a season-high 29 assists in Sunday's contest.
 
Redshirt sophomore Elizabeth Sandoval paces the Lady Techsters in kills (53) and kills per set (2.21). Hildenbrand and redshirt freshman Mallory Meers each have recorded more than 95 assists so far this season. Hildenbrand's 126 assists and 4.50 assists per set lead the team.
 
On defense, sophomore Laura Ehieze paces the Techsters in total blocks (18) and blocks per set (0.67). Senior libero Alyssa Zucco holds a strong lead in digs, recording a team-best 115 digs and 3.29 digs per set.
 
Eleven Lady Techsters have played 20 or more sets during the 2020-21 season. Zucco (35) and Meers (30) are the only two LA Tech players who have played in all 11 matches.
 
Scouting UAB
UAB is 4-5 this season with a 3-3 Conference USA record. The Blazers opened their C-USA slate with three straight wins, securing a road sweep at North Texas before winning the series opener against UTEP 3-2.
 
UAB has since dropped three straight matches, all by a 3-0 decision. The Blazers fell in straight sets in both matches at Rice this past weekend. The Owls remain undefeated in conference play and sit atop the West Division.
 
Sophomore hitter Fernanda Maida paces UAB in kills (128), kills per set (4.57) and points scored (140.5). The Blazers feed Maida early and often as the sophomore has tallied 364 total attacks this season, which is more than twice than the next nearest Blazer at 180.
 
On defense, sophomore middle blocker Tatijana Fucka leads the Blazers in total blocks (30) and blocks per set (0.97). Primary libero/defensive specialist Erin Powers leads UAB with a team-high 131 digs.
 
Betsy Freeburg, a former Florida Gator just like LA Tech head coach Amber McCray, entered her first year with the UAB program in July.
 
Series History
LA Tech is 3-4 all-time against the Blazers. The Lady Techsters knocked off the Blazers in their C-USA opener in 2019, securing a 3-1 victory over UAB in a Red Out at the Thomas Assembly Center. Three Lady Techsters – Madeline Davis, Kaitlyn Adams and Jordyn Carswell – each recorded 12 or more kills in the conference triumph. The match was also McCray's first C-USA matchup as Tech's head coach.