Box Score | Box Score (PDF)
Natchitoches, La. – Senior Amber Calhoun and sophomore Amari Deardorff led a Texas State offense that hit higher than .300 for the fourth consecutive match as the Bobcats defeated Northwestern State, 3-1 (19-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-18), for the team's fifth straight victory.
Calhoun and Deardorff helped the Bobcats improve to 14-6 overall and 5-1 in the Southland Conference, while Northwestern State had its three-game winning streak snapped in dropping to 6-13 overall and 3-4 in the conference.
Calhoun hit a season-high .684 for the match after putting down 13 kills on 19 attempts without an error. She nearly eclipsed her career high of .706 set during her sophomore season. In addition, the senior middle blocker added three solo blocks and two block assists on the defense end to lead the Bobcats.
Deardorff served as setter Caleigh McCorquodale's go-to player throughout the match – and rightfully so. The sophomore right side hitter committed just one error on 28 attempts while putting down a team-high 14 kills. Deardorff hit .464 for the match as she recorded at least 11 kills with a .400 hitting percentage for the fourth consecutive contest.
The two teams played even through the first half of set one, but Northwestern State capitalized on several Texas State miscues down the stretch to pull away late for the 25-19 victory. However, Texas State came back with a strong second set behind the play of Deardorff and Danielle Sanchou. Deardorff recorded three kills on four swings and had a block, while Sanchou recorded three of her four aces for the match to help the Bobcats to a 25-16 win in the second set and tie the match at 1-1.
Texas State came out of intermission and used several runs throughout the third set to take a 2-1 advantage in the match after a 25-15 win. In the fourth set, the Bobcats jumped in front early, but the Lady Demons used a four-point run midway through the set to pull within four, 18-14. However, McCorquodale went to outside hitters Lindy DeGeare and Melissa Toth down the stretch as the Bobcats closed out the final set, 25-18.
Toth closed out the match with 12 kills and a .333 hitting percentage, while DeGeare had eight kills and two aces for the match.
Defensively, Texas State had four players in double figures in digs, led by senior Rachel Doyle who had a career-high 19 digs. Doyle was joined in double-digits by freshman Laura Whalen (12), McCorquodale (12) and sophomore Ashlee Hilbun (11). The Bobcats held a 69-56 advantage in digs over the Lady Demons for the match.
The Bobcats also had things working at the service line, tying their season high with nine aces. Sanchou led the way with four, while DeGeare's two brought her season total to a team-best 35.
Texas State will return to the court on Thursday, October 13 with a 6:30 p.m. match in Nacogdoches, Texas against Stephen F. Austin before the team wraps up its streak of four consecutive road matches on Saturday, October 15 against Sam Houston State.
