By MATT DEARMAN

Sports Writer

The Lady Techster volleyball team's losing streak increased to four-straight matches following a tough road trip that included losses to both Rice University on Oct. 7 and the University of Tulsa on Oct. 9.

The losses dropped the Lady Techsters to 5-13 on the year, 1-4 in the Western Athletic Conference.

"Rice is a very good team, and good teams make you look bad," Tech's head coach Heather Mazeitis said. "Tulsa is another story. That is definitely a winnable match. We should win when we play them again in two weeks."

In the match with Tulsa (13-4, 2-4 WAC), Tech put forth a solid defensive effort but was unable to overcome Tulsa's high-powered serving as the Golden Hurricanes recorded 10 aces en route to a 30-26, 30-19 and 30-28 victory.

The Lady Techsters held a 20-16 lead in the opening game, but a late Golden Hurricane surge, including a six-point rally, put Tulsa on top and gave them a one-game advantage.

Tulsa's momentum carried over through the second game and into the third before Tech was able to regain its composure.

The Lady Techsters put together an eight-point rally late in the third game to tie the score at 28, but it would be too little too late as Tulsa won the next two points to clinch the match.

Leading the Lady Techsters in the match was senior Joy Okpa with 10 kills and 12 digs. Senior Natalie Shipp added nine kills to the team total, and Heather Anderson added 14 digs.

Prior to the match with Tulsa, the Lady Techsters traveled to Houston where they suffered a three-game defeat to the Rice Owls. Rice (16-2, 6-0 WAC) limited Tech to just 27 kills in the contest, as the Owls soared to victory with scores of 30-19, 30-16 and 30-15.

The Lady Techsters played Rice close early in the match, but a six-point rally midway through game one gave the Owls the breathing room they needed, as they remained in control.

Shipp led Tech offensively with seven kills and seven digs, followed by sophomore Kristen Fairbanks and freshman Shannon Phillips with six kills each. Anderson added 11 digs to lead Tech's defense.

Rice received several top 25 votes following the match, after also dispatching of No. 20 Loyola and playing a close five-game match with No. 1 Minnesota earlier in the season.

Tech will return home tonight when it hosts conference foe and No. 3 nationally ranked Hawaii at 7 p.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center.

"We've always played well against Hawaii," Mazeitis said. "It's fun to face them, and the girls are excited about playing them."

Mazeitis added that she hopes Tech students will attend the Hawaii match, as she anticipates a great performance from the Lady Techsters.