Oct. 6, 2007

Final Stats

SAN MARCOS - Despite winning game one and hanging close all match, Texas State couldn't hold off Stephen F. Austin rallies in games three and four as the Bobcats (10-7, 3-2 SLC) lost to the Ladyjacks (16-5, 6-0 SLC) 3-1 (30-28, 23-30, 28-30, 33-35) in an intense match that saw 43 ties and 16 lead changes on Saturday.

Melinda Cave led a trio of Bobcats with double-digit kill totals, setting a new career high with 17 while swinging .483. Texas State also finished the match with 85 digs as a team, its second-highest total of the season, with money raised from each dig going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to support breast cancer research.

The `Cats and Ladyjacks battled from the start of game one, with the teams trading points and neither team leading by more than two until SFA grabbed a 21-16 lead. Texas State responded with an 11-4 run as the Bobcats went up 27-25. Emily Jones then made consecutive kills to reach game point, and Jessica Weynand followed it up after two SFA points with a kill to seal the 30-28 win for Texas State.

Game two was all Ladyjacks, as a 13-5 run gave SFA a 21-13 lead that would stretch to double digits at 27-17 and 29-19. The Bobcats scored four straight points to prolong game two, but it proved too little too late as the teams headed to half tied at one.

A pivotal game three went back and forth until SFA staked a two-point lead at 13-11 they would hold until the Bobcats rallied to take a 24-21 lead. A pair of Traci Rohde kills tied it again at 25-25 before back-to-back Bobcat errors put SFA up 27-26. Lauren Railey then got two more Ladyjack kills for game point, and SFA won 30-28 to go up 2-1 in the match.

The Bobcat defense refused to let up in game four after a 30 dig effort in game three, as the `Cats staked an early 12-9 lead. Texas State would grow its advantage to six at 25-19, but the Ladyjacks used a 6-2 run to close within two at 27-25. A pair of Ladyjack service errors put Texas State one point away from forcing a game five, but three Bobcat errors and a Railey kill swung the game to match point in favor of SFA. Texas State battled back to tie it at 31-31 and would have the advantage twice after SFA attack errors to go up 32-31 and then 33-32. The Bobcats never could close out the game though, as three consecutive errors gave SFA the 35-33 win to close out the match.

Lawrencia Brown recorded 14 kills and 15 digs while Amy Weigle added 13 kills for the Bobcats. Shelbi Irvin and Brittany Collins each finished with double-doubles, as Irvin had 32 assists and 19 digs while Collins had 22 assists and 15 digs. In all five Texas State players had over 10 digs, as Kacey Wimpy had 15 and Jessica Weynand finished with 12.

Railey led four SFA players with over 10 kills, finishing with 15 and also tallying 10 digs. JJ Jones led the Ladyjacks with 45 assists, and Jami Hill had a match-high 21 digs.

Texas State now hits the road for two weeks, beginning with the second match of the IBC Bank Maroon vs. Orange I-35 Rivalry Series with UTSA Thursday at 7 p.m.