RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech volleyball team dropped the Conference USA home opener to New Mexico State on Friday night inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
 
LA Tech (5-10, 0-3) held a 3-2 lead early in the match after an ace by McKenzie Johnson. New Mexico State (10-4, 3-0) responded with an 8-2 run, forcing the Bulldogs to take a timeout. The Aggies would add to their run with another 7-2 run, and Tech would use their final timeout of the set. LA Tech would fend off set point for three rallies before NM State would finish the set.
 
With the second set tied at three, New Mexico State would reel off a 12-2 run that forced Tech to call a timeout. The Bulldogs would get three points back after a service error and, capped off by a kill by Sydney Jackwin. Tech would use their final timeout after back-to-back kills by New Mexico State's Ashley Herman extended the lead back to 10. LA Tech would be able to get any closer, and the Aggies would take a 2-0 advantage.
 
The Bulldogs wouldn't go down easily in the third set. An ace by Lauren Albrecht started a 4-1 run to give Tech the momentum. Sa'Myah Medford would send back-to-back serves that found holes in the defense to provide Tech with a five-point lead. New Mexico State would use a timeout to settle down, go on a four-point run to get within one, and eventually tie things up at 14. The teams would trade three-point runs, and LA Tech would call a timeout with the score 17-17. A 4-1 run gave the Bulldogs a 21-18 lead. The Aggies would use their final timeout to go on a 7-1 to close out the match and take a 3-0 victory (25-16, 25-12, 25-22).
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amber McCray
 
"Everything we said in our scout New Mexico State would do, they did. Everything we said we needed to do to beat them, we didn't. We talked all week about needing to be the more aggressive team serving and attacking to win tonight. Instead we served their libero in the six zone the entire game and allowed them to hit over .300 as a team for majority of the match. Offensively, we must be better in all aspects: from the first contact and setting choices/accuracy to hitter decisions. The game plan is the game plan for a reason and when we follow it, it works. Tonight we did not except for spurts of set three, and it showed. The best thing about this schedule is we don't have to leave this series with NMSU believing the team we were tonight is who we are. We will flush this, get in film, regroup and come back ready to actually compete with heart tomorrow."
  
NOTABLES

• Carla Esquer finished with a team high five kills and five blocks.
• Albrecht's streak of 12 straight matches with 10+ assists ended, she finished with six.
• Johnson finished with 13 digs, giving her 1,115 for her career.
• Albrecht and Medford finished with two aces apiece. Albrecht has five matches with multiple aces on the season. Medford doubled her career aces total with the career high. 

UP NEXT
LA Tech looks to even the series against New Mexico State on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in LA Tech Volleyball, follow them on Twitter (@LATechVB), Instagram (@LATechVB), and Facebook (LATechVolleyball).