Nov. 9, 2007

Final Stats

HUNTSVILLE - Lawrencia Brown and Brittany Collins each posted season-high marks in kills and digs while Collins also had her highest assist total of the season as Texas State won its sixth match in a row with a 3-1 (28-30, 30-16, 30-26, 30-12) win at Sam Houston State on Friday.

Brown reached 20 kills for the first time this season while adding 19 digs, and Collins finished four kills shy of a triple-double, totaling six kills, 41 assists and 18 digs. The Bobcats also finished with a season-best 100 digs as a team, blowing past the previous high of 85.

With the win, Texas State (18-10, 10-5 SLC) guaranteed itself at least the No. 5 seed in next weekend's Southland Conference Tournament while Sam Houston State (11-17, 5-10 SLC) must wait to see if they make the eight-team field.

The match started with an intense game one, as the largest lead for either team was three points by the Bearkats at 24-21 and 25-22. An Emily Jones kill tied things at 27-27, but SHSU got back-to-back kills by Cynthia Yarotsky and Launa McClung gave the Bearkats game point before they closed out the 30-28 win.

Texas State roared back in game two, using a 9-3 run to take a 19-13 lead. The Bearkats would get no closer than five points, as Collins served out the final eight points of the game to give the Bobcats the 30-16 game win while evening the match at a game apiece.

Sam Houston State opened play again with a 7-3 lead in game three, but it was quickly erased by an 11-3 Texas State run that swung momentum back in the Bobcats' favor. Up 14-10, Texas State never gave up its lead despite one tie at 18-18, winning 30-26 to put the Bearkats in a deep hole at home.

The Bobcats then made quick work of the Bearkats in game four, jumping out to a 21-9 lead to cruise to an easy 30-12 win that sealed the match.

Emily Jones joined Brown in double figures in kills with 10, while Kacey Wimpy's season-high 32 digs led five Bobcats with at least 10 digs. Amy Weigle rounded out a complete match for Texas State with nine block assists, as the `Cats finished with 15 blocks as a team.

Sam Houston State was led by Yarotsky and McClung, who each finished with 11 kills. Yarotsky also had 28 digs while Megan McNamara tallied 43 assists and 17 digs for the Bearkats.

Texas State closes out its regular season Saturday in Nacogdoches against Stephen F. Austin, who currently sits tied for first in the SLC and already has one victory over the Bobcats this season, a 3-1 win in San Marcos. First serve will be at 4 p.m. with live stats available at sfajacks.com.