Game Notes

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State heads to Arkansas this weekend to face UALR at 7 p.m. Friday night and Arkansas State at noon on Sunday. The Bobcats dropped matches to both opponents in five-set losses earlier in the season at Strahan Coliseum. Texas State, however, has won three in a row and five of the team's last six matches and are rolling into Arkansas with some confidence.
 
The Trojans of UALR are one of the best offensive teams in the Sun Belt Conference but are coming off a loss to top team Western Kentucky. Last time Texas State and UALR faced off, Ashlee Hilbun led the Bobcats offensively with 17 kills on an impressive .324 hitting percentage.
 
Alexandra Simms put down 13 kills in the match while Molly Ahrens added 10. The Trojans seemed to concentrate on Amari Deardorff defensively, only allowing her five kills while forcing six errors.
 
Libero Sierra Smith was the only Bobcat with double-digit digs, finishing the match with 25 while Ahrens put down 10 block assists. Ahrens led Texas State to 19 team blocks while UALR had 17 blocks in a tough battle at the net.
 
Texas State will have to prepare for UALR's dangerous outsides Edina Begic and Sonja Milanovic who finished with 12 and 23 kills respectively against Texas State.
 
Against Arkansas State, Deardorff was back to her offensive dominance with 16 kills and just three errors, but Simms led the team in kills with 17. Shelby Vas Matt added 10 kills and doubled up with 15 digs. Caylin Mahoney also finished with a double-double with 44 assists, 12 digs and four kills. Kelsey Weynand added 16 digs and Smith led the Bobcats defensively with 24.
 
While Texas State won the blocking battle with UALR, Arkansas State outblocked Texas State 13-8. Ahrens notched seven block assists in the match while Deardorff was in on four.
 
Sadie Clark led the Red Wolves with 18 kills while Sarah Kemp added 15 and Kelsey Sullivan notched 10. The Bobcats will have to prepare for Arkansas State's top offensive trio.
 
Texas State has already clinched a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament but seedings are still to be determined. The Bobcats are currently the third seed while UALR is second, so the weekend could possibly bring about change. Arkansas State is currently seeded seventh.  
 
Fans will be able to follow live stats and live video at each team's website: www.ualrtrojans.com and www.astateredwolves.com. Live audio, however, will still be carried at Texas State's website at
www.txstatebobcats.com/radio. Bobcat fans can also catch twitter updates throughout each match at Texas State Volleyball's twitter account: @TexasStateVball.
 
Match Info
Site: Jack Stephens Center / Convocation Center – Little Rock, Ark. / Jonesboro, Ark.
Date: Friday, Nov. 15 / Sunday, Nov. 17
Time: 7 p.m. / 12 p.m.