Box Score

Huntsville, Texas – A season-high 14 blocks by the Texas State volleyball team was not enough to get past Sam Houston State on Thursday evening as the Bobcats fell, 3-1 (27-25, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20), to the Bearkats at Johnson Coliseum.

Junior Amber Calhoun set a new career high in the loss, posting a match-high 10 blocks during the four-setter. A Houston, Texas native, Calhoun finished with two solo stuffs and eight block assists to surpass her previous career high of nine.

Thursday's match tightens the race in the Southland Conference West Division, with the Bobcats dropping to 14-11 overall and 7-4 in conference play and the Bearkats improving to 12-14 overall and 6-5 in the Southland.

Defensively, the Bobcats enjoyed its best blocking game of the season. In addition to Calhoun's 10 blocks, AJ Watlington finished with five while Amari Deardorff added four. Preslie Alexander and Ashlee Hilbun both had two blocks, and Rachel James, Madeline Gaffney and Mo Middleton each posted one for the Bobcats.

Caleigh McCorquodale led the back row defense with 12 digs, while Jennifer Neice added nine in two sets of action. McCorquodale also had 15 assists during the match for her seven double-double of the season.

Shelbi Irvin paced the Bobcats' offense with 21 assists. Watlington had a team-high 10 kills and Middleton recorded nine. Deardorff and Calhoun finished the match with eight and six kills, respectively.

Set one featured extended runs by each team, first from the Bearkats who used a 6-1 burst to take a 10-7 lead. The Bobcats countered behind the serving of Middleton, who helped the team to a 6-2 run with five consecutive serves to put Texas State in front, 18-16. Following the Texas State run, Sam Houston State scored the next six points to take a three-point lead, 21-18, before the Bobcats answered with three straight of their own for a score of 21-21.

The two teams traded points until Sam Houston State got its first set point with the score 24-23, but Middleton spoiled it with her fourth kill of the set to tie it at 24-24. A kill from Deardorff for the next point gave the Bobcats a 25-24 lead and an opportunity for the set, but the Bearkats went on a three-point run when it mattered most to capture the opening set, 27-25.

The Bobcats looked to get back on track in the second set, but the home team came out strong and took a 14-11 advantage mid-way through the set. Texas State pulled to within one on a kill from Middleton, but eight of the next 10 points went to Sam Houston State to give the Bearkats a 22-15 lead. The Bobcats would not go down without a fight, coming back to within four, 23-19, on an ace from Calhoun. The late rally continued as the Bobcats were within two, 24-22, before a block from Sam Houston State gave the Bearkats a 2-0 lead in the match.

Set three started off bleak for Texas State as Sam Houston State jumped out to an 8-2 lead; however, a rally by the Bobcats got the team back in the match. With the score tied at 19-19, the Bobcats recorded blocks on four of the last six points of the set to pull out a 25-20 win in the third set. For the set, Texas State recorded eight blocks.

Sam Houston State once again came out strong in the fourth set, but this time, the Bobcats could not make a comeback until it was too late. Down 23-12, the Bobcats scored eight of the next nine points to pull within 24-20, but the Bearkats put down a kill for the final point of the match.