Box Score

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Troy was able to play Texas State tight through the first two sets, but the Bobcats hit their stride in the third set and never looked back en route to a 3-1 (26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 25-16) victory over Troy Friday night. The win pushes Texas State to 4-4 in the Sun Belt and 14-9 on the season.
 
One of the biggest reasons Texas State was able to get the win was the work of Molly Ahrens. She put down a career high 14 kills with an outstanding .400 hitting percentage. Despite the impressive offensive numbers, Ahrens kept up the work Bobcat fans have come to expect from her defensively. She was at the net for a team high six block assists as Texas State put down 13 blocks in the match.
 
Amari Deardorff tallied 13 kills while Shelby Vas Matt finished with another double-double (10 kills and 13 digs). Caylin Mahoney also notched a double-double, finishing with 32 assists and 20 digs to lead the Bobcats in both categories. Sierra Smith added 18 digs while Kelsey Weynand finished with 13 digs and three block assists.
 
Ashlee Hilbun swung for eight kills but did some impressive work blocking. She had five block assists with a solo block while Alexandra Simms also notched a solo block with two block assists. Keeley Davis was in on three block assists while Mahoney and Deardorff combined for three more.
 
Texas State leaned on Ahrens and Hilbun throughout the first set. The middle blocking duo combined for 13 kills and just one error on 26 total attacks. The Bobcats only put down four other kills outside of the work from Ahrens and Hilbun in the opening frame.
 
If that wasn't impressive enough, the way the Bobcats came back to win the first set showed plenty of grit. Troy made it set point at 24-20. The Bobcats then answered with a 6-0 run behind the service of Smith. Ahrens, Deardorff and Hilbun all put down kills in the run with Hilbun's going for the winning point.
 
Without a block in the first set, Texas State came alive in the second set to put down five blocks. The Bobcats were also helped by a 7-0 run behind the service of Mahoney. Four consecutive errors from Troy helped the run, and Mahoney added an ace along with a Weynand kill. The run brought the Bobcats back from a 10-5 deficit to up 12-10.
 
Troy kept plugging away, though, and came back to win the set, 25-22. After that, the Bobcats took total control and closed out the third and fourth sets by scores of 25-21 and 25-16 to pull to an even 4-4 in the SBC.
 
The Bobcats will look to keep rolling against South Alabama at 1 p.m. Sunday. Texas State will also be honoring the 2003 Southland Conference Championship team on its 10-year anniversary between the second and third sets.