Lake Charles, La. – The Texas State volleyball team used a season-high 14 blocks to get past McNeese State, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Gym in Lake Charles, La. Junior Amber Calhoun posted a career-high 16 kills to go along with a .667 hitting percentage as the Bobcats won 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 26-24.

Texas State improved to 10-8 overall and 3-1 in the Southland Conference with the win, while McNeese State fell to 6-13, 1-3 SLC.

Set one began with a pair of points for the Bobcats as Calhoun and Amari Deardorff blocked the McNeese State outside hitter before a Cowgirls' attack error made it 2-0 in favor of Texas State. McNeese State came back to tie the match at 6-6 as the two teams traded points until the Bobcats went on a three-point run midway through the set to take a 17-14 advantage.

Texas State maintained its advantage for the remainder of the set before Calhoun's fourth kill of the set gave the Bobcats a 1-0 advantage. The Texas State block played havoc with the McNeese State hitters during the opening set, totaling 6.0 rejections during the opening set as Ashlee Hilbun led the way with four.

Both teams had their chances in the second set, but it was McNeese State that made a run late in the stanza to tie the match at 1-1. The Bobcats held an 18-15 advantage before the Cowgirls went on a 5-1 run to take a 20-19 lead late in the set. Texas State rebounded to tie the match, 22-22, but a pair of kills and a block by McNeese State gave the Cowgirls a 25-23 win in the second set.

Head coach Karen Chisum was forced to use a timeout early in the third set after the Cowgirls came out of intermission strong with a 6-2 lead. The Texas State offense began to get on track out of the timeout as Melinda Cave's kill gave the Bobcats the momentum before a solo stuff from Preslie Alexander put the Bobcats in front, 8-7, forcing a timeout from McNeese State.

The Cowgirls were able to slow down the Texas State rally out, pulling within one, 12-11, before an assisted block from AJ Watlington and Madeline Gaffney followed by a Cowgirls attack error extended the Bobcats' lead back to three, 14-11.

After McNeese State came back to tie the set at 17-17, kills from Calhoun and Watlington put the Bobcats back in front, 19-17. The Cowgirls kept the score within three down the stretch, but a pair of kills from Mo Middleton to close the set gave Texas State a 25-22 win in the third set to go ahead 2-1 in the match.

The fourth set began with McNeese State pulling in front 13-9 before a kill and block from Calhoun closed the gap to two, 13-11, and forced a Cowgirls' timeout. McNeese State briefly regained the momentum following the timeout, but Gaffney and Alexander paired for a block keep the Bobcats within striking distance, 16-14. After Texas State cut its deficit to one, 17-16, on a double-contact from the Cowgirls setter, McNeese State scored on back-to-back points to go in front, 19-16, and force Chisum to use the team's second timeout.

Once again, Texas State responded out of the timeout. The Bobcats went on a 6-2 run following the break to grab a 22-21 lead. The teams traded points until 23-23 when Alexander's kill gave the Bobcats a match point. McNeese State fended off the first match point, but Alexander ripped a serve down the sideline that McNeese State could not handle for an ace to give Texas State a 26-24 win in the set.

Joining Calhoun with double-digit kills was Watlington who finished the match with 12 winners and a .308 hitting percentage. Middleton tallied nine kills, while Alexander had eight and Gaffney six.

Five Bobcats notched four blocks apiece for Texas State. Calhoun and Alexander each had three block assists and one solo stuff, while Gaffney, Hilbun and Watlington all had four block assists.

Shelbi Irvin led the team with 30 assists, and Caleigh McCorquodale had 24 helpers.

Leading the way for McNeese State was Priscill Massengale with 14 kills and Katie Kennedy with 25 digs.

The Bobcats return to action on Wednesday, October 6 with a 7 p.m. match at UT Arlington.