HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Louisiana Tech opened strong to take the first set on the road Friday night, but Sam Houston responded with three straight frames as the Bulldogs fell 3–1 (20–25, 25–18, 25–21, 25–23) to the Bearkats inside Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
 
LA Tech (8-19, 1-12 CUSA) was efficient early, hitting .355 in the opening set while limiting Sam Houston (9-17, 1-12 CUSA) to just a .121 attack percentage.  A balanced offensive start that featured kills from four different attackers helped the Bulldogs race out to a 10–4 advantage.  
 
Giulia Bonifacio, Zari Gillispie, and Jailen Hurley combined for 10 of Tech's 14 kills.  Gillispie was also effective on defense, posting two blocks as the Bulldogs closed out the frame, 25-20.
 
LA Tech and Sam Houston were neck-and-neck in the second set at 15-15.  However, the Bearkats closed the frame on a 10-3 run to even the match up at one-set apiece.
 
The Bulldogs started quickly in the third, opening with an 8-2 lead following strong net play from Gillispie and Gabrielle Hairston.  However, the Bearkats rallied with an 8-3 surge behind standout performances from Chloe Monson and Lauren Malone, who combined for 15 kills in the set.  Sam Houston took its first lead of the frame at 19-18 and never gave it up, holding off LA Tech to take the third, 25-11.
 
The fourth and final set was another tight one. LA Tech built a 14–10 advantage after kills from Megan Cooley, Bonifacio, and Gillispie, but Sam Houston answered with timely points from Monson and Malone to rally for a narrow 25–23 win to close out the match.
 
LA Tech registered a .216 hitting percentage with Cooley notching a career-high 11 kills while Gillispie matched her career high with 10 kills (.455 hitting percentage).  Emerson Traylor provided 22 of the 45 assists for the Bulldogs. 
 
LA Tech out-blocked Sam Houston, 11.0 to 8.0, with Gillispie posting six of those blocks for the Bulldogs.
 
UP NEXT
LA Tech and Sam Houston will face off again tomorrow.  First serve is set for 1 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
 
SUPPORT LA TECH ATHLETICS
Championships require championship resources.  Fans can make a direct impact on the success of LA Tech Athletics through LTAC, Aillet Society, T-Club, and Young Alumni program as well as the CHAMP fund, a revenue-sharing initiative designed to directly support LA Tech Athletics through NIL and marketing opportunities for Bulldog and Lady Techster student-athletes.  Visit BuildTheLegacy.com today.
 
BARK LOUDER
Our mission is to engage, develop, and advance the Louisiana Tech Athletics brand.  You can do that by spending time consuming our content and by investing your talents.  By barking louder with your time and talent, you can affect progress and brand advancement in a meaningful way.  Visit LATechSports.com/BarkLouder today.  You bark.  We bark.  Louder together.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Bulldog Volleyball, follow us on X (@LATechVB), Instagram (@LATechVB), and Facebook (LATechVolleyball).