HOUSTON – For the second straight tournament, No. 10 Louisiana Tech finished the first day a perfect 5-0 and found themselves in the lead at the Track Kat Klash hosted by Sam Houston at Emerald Bowl.

The Bulldogs opened with their lowest five-game Baker set of the day in a 1,031-854 win over Prairie View A&M. Tech shot games of 208, 163, 226, 200, and 234 to sit fourth after the opening match.

Louisiana Tech had a hiccup to open the match against Southern, falling behind by 31 pins after shooting a 160. The Bulldogs made the adjustments and cruised to a dominating 1,079-783 win. Tech finished with games of 244, 247, 172, and 256.

Now in second, the Bulldogs used that momentum for another 100-pin win over No. 12 University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Tech put together games of 237, 203, 204, 227, and 217 for the 1,088-954 decision.

While other teams got caught in transition during the middle portion of the day, Louisiana Tech continued to put up scores in the plus. The Bulldogs made it 4-0 on the day by taking the match 1,034-931 over Lewis University. Tech had games of 209, 192, 189, 217, and 227.

The Bulldogs shot their highest set of the day and needed every pin to defeat No. 3 Nebraska. Tech came out with a 197 before exploding with a 279. The Cornhuskers cut into the 51-pin Bulldog lead in the third by taking the game 245-215. LA Tech responded with a 257 to increase the lead back to 61. Nebraska would cut into the deficit in the final game, but the Bulldogs' 199 would be enough to give them the 1,147-1,100 win.

Louisiana Tech finished the day as the only team to go 5-0 and finish in the plus every game. 

The Bulldogs have a 180-pin lead over No. 4 North Carolina A&T. Host No. 8 Sam Houston sits third, followed by University of Maryland Eastern Shore and No. 9 Maryville to round out the top five.

QUOTABLES
Head Coach Matt Nantais …

"This team continues to impress me at each event. As the day went on, they became stronger, and team chemistry was off the charts. Everyone contributed to the success today. Tomorrow, we will come out with the same game plan."

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs return to the lanes at 9:30 a.m. CT for the traditional portion of the tournament. LA Tech will take on No. 4 North Carolina A&T to open the day. The Bulldogs will also take on Newman, Lincoln Memorial, Grambling, and Maryville.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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