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Nacogdoches, Texas – It took the Texas State volleyball team just over an hour to earn its sixth consecutive win as the Bobcats disposed of Stephen F. Austin in three sets (25-13, 25-20, 25-14) at Shelton Gym in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Sophomore Melissa Toth and senior Amber Calhoun paced the offense, while junior Caleigh McCorquodale had a solid all-around game for the Bobcats as the team improved to 6-1 in the Southland Conference and 15-6 overall. The Bobcats remain in second place in the Southland Conference, one game behind UTSA.
Stephen F. Austin dropped to 10-12 overall and 3-5 in the Southland Conference.
Texas State came out strong in the first set, taking a large lead early and maintaining it throughout the course of the set. Senior Lindy DeGeare helped the team to a fast start as she recorded two of her three first-set aces as part of a 6-2 Bobcat run to begin the game. Texas State continued to serve tough and reaped the benefits. The SFA offense was consistently out of system and Calhoun put down a pair of easy kills from overpasses. The Bobcats extended their lead to 11 points, 19-8, and then closed out the set with a pair of kills from Toth and finally one from sophomore Ashlee Hilbun for a 25-13 first-set score.
The second set was tight early, 7-7, before a 5-0 run behind the serving of Hilbun put the Bobcats in front 12-7. Stephen F. Austin cut its deficit to two, but that is as close as the home team would get as Texas State used late kills from Toth and Calhoun to close out the second set, 25-20.
Set three was all Texas State as the Bobcats used serving runs from senior Rachel Doyle and Hilbun to jump out to a 15-6 lead. The Ladyjacks came back within five, 15-10, but a block from Calhoun stopped the Stephen F. Austin rally and began a 10-4 Bobcat run to close out the match. Laura Whalen served the final four points of the match, adding the team's sixth ace of the match along with kills from DeGeare and McCorquodale to cap off a 25-14 third-set victory.
Toth posted a match-high 11 kills along with a .476 hitting percentage, while Calhoun had 10 kills and a .667 hitting percentage for her second straight match hitting at a .600 clip or higher. Calhoun also led the defense at the net, finishing with five blocks (two solo, three assists) to pace the team.
McCorquodale had her team-high seventh double-double of the season midway through the second set and finished the game with team highs of 27 assists and 14 digs.
As a team, the Bobcats hit higher than .300 for the fifth consecutive match, posting a .312 team hitting percentage. Texas State held a .312-.090 advantage in the category for the game.
The Bobcats will conclude their four-game road stretch on Saturday, October 15 when they head to Huntsville for a 7 p.m. match against Sam Houston State. Live coverage of the game can be accessed through the home for Texas State Athletics, www.txstatebobcats.com.
