RUSTON – Louisiana Tech returns to the road this weekend to battle Missouri State in a pair of conference matchups, the marking the first ever meeting between the two programs.
 
MATCH INFORMATION
Dates/Times: Friday, Oct. 24 (6 p.m. CT) | Saturday, Oct. 25 (1 p.m. CT)
Location: Springfield, Mo. (Hammons Student Center)
Live Stats: LATechSports.com/Stats
Live Video: ESPN+ (Friday match only)
 
ABOUT LOUISIANA TECH (7-15, 0-8 CUSA)
LA Tech held its own against UTEP this past weekend. The Miners, who were receiving votes in the Top 25 poll and had an RPI of 20, had dropped only one set in their first six league matches before the Bulldogs took a set off UTEP in El Paso in each of their matches. The 'Dogs overcame four set points to take the second set in match one and withstood two set points to force a fourth set in match two. Defensively, the Bulldogs averaged 12.38 digs per set and totaled 20 blocks.
 
Carla Esquer combined for a team-high 17 kills versus the Miners, including a team-best nine in the Saturday matchup. It was the most kills in a single game for the senior since Sept. 11 against Jackson State. She was followed by fellow senior Jailen Hurley who had 15. That brought her season total to a team-high 174 kills, helping her eclipse 600 for her Bulldog career.
 
Charlize Williams was arguably the top Bulldog against UTEP. The senior did it on both ends, amassing 14 kills in the two matches combined while hitting .333. The middle blocker also collected 9.0 blocks, helping her produce a team-best 20.5 points. She now has 59.0 blocks on the season, which ranks as the 12th most in CUSA.
 
Anaya Hairston has stepped up at middle blocker, having started each of the last five matches. During that span, she has 21 kills as well as 17 blocks, registering 5+ blocks in three of the five matches.
 
Riley Steubing has played in all 22 matches this season, serving as the starting libero/defensive specialist in 20 of the (has seen action in a team-high 81 sets). Defensively, the junior has totaled a team-high 310 digs with an average of 3.83 digs per set, both ranking fourth in CUSA. She has tallied 10+ digs in 16 matches, including five in which she registered 20+ digs.
 
ABOUT MISSOURI STATE (8-11, 3-5 CUSA)
Missouri State, playing its first season in CUSA, dropped its first five league matches, but the Bears have reeled off three straight including a 3-1 win at Jacksonville State followed by a home sweep versus New Mexico State this past weekend.
 
MSU is a stop defensive team, ranking first in CUSA and 64th in the country in total blocks this season with 176.5 having registered double-digit blocks seven times.  The anchor is middle blocker Lizanyela Lopez who leads the league with 84.0 total blocks.
 
Offensively, Missouri State averages 12.1 kills per set with a .219 hitting percentage.  Four Bears have tallied 100+ kills this season, led by the pairing of Peyton McKee and Rilynn Finley who have 198 and 194 kills, respectively.  Finley tallied a team-high 19 kills in the Bears last matchup against the Aggies.
 
THE SERIES
This weekend will mark the first time LA Tech and Missouri State face off on the volleyball court.
 
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