Sept. 30, 2006

Box Score

NACOGDOCHES - Kelly Fletcher had 14 kills and 16 digs to go with Erin Hickman's 44 assists and team-leading 20 digs, but Texas State was unable to complete a furious rally Saturday, falling 3-2 at Stephen F. Austin (24-30, 29-31, 31-29, 30-23, 13-15).

Texas State (5-12, 1-2) was led offensively by Lawrencia Brown's 16 kills, while Kacey Wimpy (18) and Christina Melvin (19) also found double-digit digs in the afternoon loss. Karry Griffin led the Bobcats at the net with seven blocks, while Melvin came up with seven aces to lead the `Cats from the service line.

Stephen F. Austin improved to 4-0 in the Southland and 13-3 overall, led by Lauren Railey's 23 kills and Stephanie Figgers' 33 digs. In all, four Ladyjacks found double-figures offensively, while five SFA players were in doubles for digs.

The match started point-for-point until midway through the first game, when SFA split a 12-12 tie with a 3-0 run to go up 15-12. The Ladyjacks would maintain the lead until Texas State climbed to within two at 24-22, but SFA rattled off six-straight scores to close the game and take a 1-0 match lead.

In game two, SFA jumped out to a 6-1 lead and extended its advantage to 11-3 on a Figgers ace, but Texas State would rally back, going on a 9-4 run, getting to within three on an SFA attacking error that made the score 15-12.

The Ladyjacks pushed further into their lead as the match passed the midway point, going up 20-14 on a Traci Rhode kill, but again the Bobcats fought back, getting to within two at 22-20 on a kill by Griffin. Texas State closed the gap to one at 26-25 on one of Melvin's seven aces, and the `Cats managed to tie the match at 29-all on a kill by Fletcher that erased game point for the Jacks.

SFA would go up 2-0 in the match, however, as a Bobcat attacking error paired with a Ladyjack service ace to give SFA the 31-29 game-two win heading to intermission.

Texas State came out gunning out of the intermission, taking an 11-10 lead and using a 4-0 run to push the advantage to 15-10. The Ladyjacks fought back with a 5-1 spurt to get within one at 16-15, but the Bobcats tacked on points in seven of the next 11 serves to go up 23-19, forcing an SFA time out.

Out of the break, the Bobcats pushed the lead to five on a kill by Lawrencia Brown, but the Ladyjacks answered with a 7-2 run that tied the game at 27-27. With a sweep in sight, the Ladyjacks went up 29-28 on a JJ Jones kill, but three-straight Ladyjack errors erased the SFA lead and put Texas State in front 31-29, bringing the `Cats to only one game down heading into game four.

In the fourth game, SFA erased a 10-8 bobcat lead with a 5-1 rally that made the score 13-11, but Texas State fired back with back-to-back points to tie the fourth game at 13-13. SFA again jumped in front, using points in five of the next eight plays to go up 18-16, but Texas State quickly erased the lead, going on an 11-0 run that erased the Ladyjack lead and put the Bobcats in front 27-18.

SFA would not get closer than six points for the remainder of game four, as Brown gave the Bobcats game point with a kill that made the score 30-23 and evened the match at 2-2.

Game five began with Texas State holding a slim 3-2 lead before SFA rallied to take over at 5-4, and the teams traded leads until SFA broke a 13-all tie with back-to-back points, earning a 15-13 win in the decisive fifth game and a 3-2 win in the match.

Texas State returns to Southland action Thursday, hosting Texas-San Antonio at 7 p.m. in the first of four matches at Strahan Coliseum. The four-match homestand also includes SLC foes Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Lamar and McNeese State.