NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana Tech volleyball put together a balanced offensive attack to sweep Southern 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-17) to open the Green Wave Classic on Friday afternoon inside Avron B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse.
 
LA Tech (3-2) hit .303 as a team, getting 4+ kills from six different Bulldogs.  Defensively, the team recorded 6.0 total blocks while holding Southern (2-2) to just a .134 attack percentage.
 
Freshman Zari Gillispie and senior Giulia Bonifacio led the way with a team-high seven kills each.  Gillispie was near perfect offensively, generating her seven kills on eight total attacks for a blistering .750 hitting percentage.
 
Outside hitters Carla Esquer and Jailen Hurley each chipped in six kills while Gabrielle Hairston added five and Grace Luevanos tallied four kills apiece.  Luevanos added nine digs and four service aces to pace the back row.
 
Meanwhile, the setters – Grace Krohn and Sydnee Carter – played the part of setting up their teammates, combining for 34 assists.
 
The opener featured 11 ties and six lead changes before LA Tech pulled away late.  Trailing 21-20, the Bulldogs closed on a 5-1 run highlighted by a Giulia Bonifacio kill and a key block from G. Hairston to take the early advantage.
 
LA Tech seized control early behind the serve of Esquer, who delivered back-to-back aces during a 15-8 surge that forced a timeout by Southern.  The Bulldogs never trailed in the frame, hitting .333 with five different players notching multiple kills, while limiting the Jaguars to a .053 percentage.
 
The third set neck-and-neck for much of the frame.  Knotted at 14-14, Luevanos provided a pair of kills and a service ace to help the 'Dogs close out by winning 11 of the last 14 points to pitch the shutout.  
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Scott Mattera
 
"Solid sweep today to start the long weekend.  They do some unique things system wise that can throw you, but I thought we adjusted well without over thinking.  When you hit for such a good percentage and six hitters have 3-7 kills, you really must credit your setters.  Zari was great today with seven kills on eight swings – she's got such a bright future!"
 
NOTABLES

• Win the win, LA Tech now leads the all-time series versus Southern, 8-0.  Six of the eight victories have been shutouts.
• LA Tech has registered back-to-back 3-0 wins for the first time since Aug. 31-Sept. 3, 2024.
• For the fourth time this season, six Bulldogs had at least four kills.
• The Bulldogs cracked .300 hitting percentage for the second straight game.
• Sydnee Carter tallied double-digit assists (16) for the fifth time this season.
• Riley Steubing had a team-high 17 digs.  The junior has had 15+ digs in each of the last three games.
• Giulia Bonifacio led the Bulldogs in kills for the second straight game, tallying seven.  Also with seven kills was Zari Gillispie, which was a season high for the freshman.
• Grace Krohn posted a team-high 18 assists, marking the fourth time this season reaching double digits.
• Grace Luevanos matched her season high with four service aces.

UP NEXT
LA Tech will face host Tulane on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT.  The matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
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