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San Marcos, Texas – Texas State's Senior Night was filled with ups and downs on Tuesday evening as the Bobcats and visiting Baylor played a gripping five-setter at Strahan Coliseum. Unfortunately for the home team, the final outcome would not be the desired one as Baylor snuck past Texas State, 3-2 (22-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-22, 15-8), in front of 942 fans in San Marcos, snapping the team's 11-game winning streak.
Texas State's winning streak was the program's longest since 2009 when the team won 13 straight matches and is tied as the sixth longest winning streak in Bobcat history.
Volleyball: Senior Night vs. Baylor Gallery
Prior to the game, the Bobcats honored their three seniors – Amber Calhoun, Lindy DeGeare and Rachel Doyle – playing their final game in Strahan Coliseum and each of whom performed well. Calhoun had 11 kills and four blocks, while DeGeare posted 12 kills and an ace. Doyle added eight digs and an ace from her defensive specialist position.
The trio tried their best to will the team to a victory and nearly delivered before succumbing to the Bears and dropping to 20-7 overall while putting on hold the program's 1,000th all-time victory.
With the win, Baylor – the 47th ranked team in the latest NCAA RPI – improved to 17-9 this season.
The Bobcats jumped out to 10-6 lead in the first set after three early kills from Melissa Toth and four consecutive points off the serve of Doyle. Baylor came back to take a two-point advantage, 19-17, but Texas State went on an 8-3 run to close out the first set and take a 1-0 advantage in the match. Toth finished the first set with a team-high seven kills.
After Baylor captured the second set 25-16, the Bobcats controlled the third from the outset as the team never trailed en route to a 25-21 win. The Bobcats led by as many as eight, 19-11, on a kill from Toth before holding on for the four-point victory. Amari Deardorff posted five kills in the set, while Caleigh McCorquodale handed out 11 assists and added seven digs.
A kill from Calhoun tied the fourth set at 12-12 midway through, but Baylor slowly crept ahead and took a 23-18 lead. The Bobcats came back within two on consecutive kills from DeGeare, Deardorff and Calhoun, but that is as close as the team would get before falling 25-22 to force a fifth set.
Baylor never trailed in the final period after jumping out to a 7-2 advantage. The visitors extended their lead to eight before a three-point run from the Bobcats made it 12-7. However, Baylor would score three of the next four points to end the match with a 15-8 win in the fifth set.
Texas State had four players in double figures in kills, led by 18 from Toth and 16 from Deardorff. As a team, the Bobcats put down 65 winners, two more than the Bears.
McCorquodale had 46 assists for the offense and a career-high 23 digs defensively as the Bobcats set a season best for digs with 82. McCorquodale was joined in double figures by Laura Whalen with 19 and Danielle Sanchou with 10.
Ashlee Hilbun's five blocks were a team high, while Calhoun finished with four (one solo, three assists). The senior's three block assists in the match put her within 17 block assists of setting the career record at Texas State.
Texas State now looks forward to its four final regular Southland Conference contests, all of which will take place away from San Marcos. The Bobcats begin their four-game stretch on Thursday with a 7 p.m. match at Nicholls. Live coverage of that match can be accessed through the Texas State athletics website, www.TxStateBobcats.com.
