EL PASO, Texas – The schedule did not get any easier for Louisiana Tech, having to square off against a UTEP team on Friday night that entered undefeated in conference play with only one set lost in league action.
 
After a rocky opening frame, the Bulldogs responded with inspired play the rest of the way, pushing the Miners in every set before falling 3-1 (25-7, 25-27, 25-22, 25-23) inside Memorial Gym.
 
UTEP (17-2, 7-0 CUSA) flexed its firepower early, using an early 12-3 run and never looking back.  The Miners hit .522 as a team while holding the Bulldogs to negative territory in route to a 25-7 win in game one.  
 
LA Tech (7-14, 0-7 CUSA) completely flipped the script in the second set with one of its most resilient stretches of the season.  After trailing 24-20 and facing four straight set points, the Bulldogs stormed back behind a balanced attack and relentless defense.

Kills from Giulia Bonifacio and Carla Esquer, paired with key blocks from Anaya Hairston and Jailen Hurley, erased the deficit and tied the score at 24-all.  After UTEP momentarily evened things at 25 following a service error, the 'Dogs closed it out with back-to-back points, capped by a kill from Jailen Hurley and a combo block from Charlize Williams and Esquer to seal the 27-25 comeback win.  
 
The Bulldogs carried their momentum into the third, trading points throughout a tightly contested set that featured multiple ties and lead changes.  LA Tech led 14-11 midway through after a blistering service ace from Esquer.  Clinging to a 20-18 lead, UTEP won seven of the last nine points to draw back ahead with a 25-22 win to take a 2-1 set lead despite LA Tech hitting a match-best .240 in the frame.
 
LA Tech refused to go quietly in the fourth, racing out to an early 15-11 advantage following a 6-0 run that behind a balanced offense led by Bonifacio and Hurley.  UTEP clawed back, however, to get back in into the set.  With the frame tied at 23-23, the Miners tallied the final two points to close out the 3-1 victory.
 
Bonifacio collected a double-double for the 'Dogs with a team-high 12 kills and 15 digs.  Hurley also notched double-digit kills with 10 as well as four blocks.  Setters Sydnee Carter and Emerson Traylor tallied 17 and 16 assists, respectively.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Scott Mattera
 
"You know it was a battle when even the coaches are sweating and exhausted at the end.  UTEP is top 20 in the nation by the RPI and we battled them tooth and nail after the first set.  We talked about not being fragile.  That our mindset could not be easily broken when things do not go our way.  So, to see us get up after that ugly first set and take game two was special and Lord knows we had chances in three and four.  Now we have got to take the next step and come out firing and focused tomorrow!"
 
UP NEXT
LA Tech and UTEP will face off again tomorrow with first serve set for 1 p.m. CT.  The matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
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