Box Score

Corpus Christi, Texas – Paced by 12 kills and a .632 hitting percentage from freshman Amari Deardorff, the Texas State volleyball team started its Southland Conference schedule with a win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday evening. In a match that was close from start to finish, the Bobcats pulled off a 3-0 (27-25, 25-17, 30-28) victory at the Dugan Wellness Center in Corpus Christi.

With the victory, Texas State remains undefeated against the Islanders in the all-time series with a 13-0 record.

Shelbi Irvin painted the end line on the first serve of the match for an ace, and Amber Calhoun followed with a booming kill off an Islander overpass to give the Bobcats the early momentum in the match. Texas State (8-7, 1-0 SLC) then jumped ahead 10-5 on an ace by Deardorff, forcing an early timeout by the home team.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (6-9, 0-1 SLC) would come back though and make it interesting down the stretch of the opening stanza. After tying the set at 15-15, Texas State crept back into the lead at 19-17 after a set by Caleigh McCorquodale allowed Ashlee Hilbun to record her first kill of the match, but the Islanders tied the match at 19-19 after two consecutive points.

The opening set was again tied at 21-21 before Texas State's defense came through with a pair of blocks to give the Bobcats a three-point advantage, 24-21. Calhoun stuffed a back row attack before Hilbun and Deardorff combined for a block that gave Texas State its first set point.

The Islander battled back to win the next four points and earn a set point of their own, but Deardorff came through in a pressure situation with a kill to even the set once again at 25-25. Deardorff and Hilbun paired for another block to put Texas State in front, and this time, the team would close out the set after a rally ended in an attack error by the Islanders.

The second set began as nearly a mirror image of the first as the Bobcats jumped ahead, 11-5, to force a TAMUCC timeout. Much like the opening set, the Islanders came out of the timeout strong as they decreased their deficit to two, 12-10.

However, this time Texas State regained control of the set after strong serving by Irvin and Mo Middleton disrupted the Islander attack and put the Bobcats in front, 22-15. Following a pair of Islander points, Calhoun's fourth kill of the set made the score 23-17 before a block assist from Calhoun and Deardorff sealed the second set for the Bobcats, 25-17.

The Bobcats recorded four aces and nine kills in the second set while committing just four errors and holding the Islanders to a negative-.031 hitting percentage.

The third set was a grind from the outset as the Islanders clung to an early lead before a five-point run by the Bobcats put them ahead, 12-9, capped off by Calhoun's second solo block of the evening. Hilbun added a kill and an ace during the run as Texas State grabbed its largest lead of the set.

The Islanders made another run as they did all night, pulling ahead 17-15 after a 7-1 run, and they maintained an advantage until a block from Calhoun and Middleton evened the score at 20-20.

The teams exchanged points until the Islanders earned a set point after winning a long rally with the score tied at 23-23. The Bobcat block bailed them out of the first set point as Hilbun and Deardorff combined for the team's eighth block of the match before Preslie Alexander spoiled the Islander's second set point attempt with a kill. AJ Watlington followed with a kill to put Texas State ahead, 26-25, but the Islanders fended off a pair of set points before earning their third attempt at winning the set.

After a service error by the Islanders evened the score at 28-28, Deardorff and Calhoun came through with a block to set up match point, and Middleton delivered a kill off a broken play to complete the sweep.

Deardorff and Watlington both finished with 12 kills for Texas State, while Deardorff also added a season-high five blocks. Calhoun matched the effort with five blocks as the Bobcats notched nine as a team.