Volleyball | 9/17/2014 4:12:00 PM

SAN MARCOS – After opening Sun Belt Conference action with a thrilling five-set victory over UT Arlington in a rematch of the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Championship match, Texas State is hitting the road to face SBC opponents Arkansas State and UL Monroe this weekend.
 
Match 1 Info: Texas State (6-7, 1-0 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (5-4)
Site: Convocation Center – Jonesboro, Ark.
Date: Friday, September 19 – 7 p.m.
 
Match 2 Info: Texas State (6-7, 1-0 SBC) vs. UL Monroe (6-7)
Site: Fant-Ewing Coliseum – Monroe, La.
Date: Sunday, September 21 – 1 p.m.
 
The Series
Texas State and Arkansas State have not many times while the Bobcats have a long-time series with UL Monroe. Against the Red Wolves of ASU, the Bobcats trail in the short series, 6-2. Arkansas State beat the Bobcats in two of three matches last season, but Texas State won the one that counted the most, a 3-0 sweep of ASU in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
 
In the two previous meetings against Arkansas State last season, the Bobcats fell in five-set matches, but Texas State bounced back with an impressive 3-0 sweep of the Red Wolves (25-15, 25-16, 25-20) in the tournament. Amari Deardorff led the team with 12 kills while Alexandra Simms added seven. Caylin Mahoney gave out 34 assists while Sierra Smith and Kelsey Weynand each tallied 12 digs apiece. Shelby Vas Matt had 11 in the match. Ashlee Hilbun was in on five blocks for the Bobcats.
 
Against UL Monroe, Texas State holds an overwhelming advantage, 34-2, in a series that dates back to 1984 with many a match coming in the Southland Conference days. In 2013, the Bobcats swept the Warhawks in both meetings. The most recent meeting was on the road for Texas State on Nov. 8, 2013, and the Bobcats won, 25-20, 25-13, 25-15.
 
Deardorff again led the Bobcats with nine kills while three others tallied seven. Mahoney gave out 30 assists and doubled up with 13 digs. Smith had 14 to lead the squad while Hilbun put down five blocks, two of which were solo.
 
On the Red Wolves
Texas State will be Arkansas State's first Sun Belt Conference opponent of the season. The Red Wolves come into the match hot with four consecutive wins and five wins in the team's last six matches. After starting the season 0-3, Arkansas State took off the last six matches, winning a five-setter and sweeping all other opponents with the exception of a 3-1 loss to Ole Miss.
 
Sarah Kemp leads ASU with 122 kills on the season, 36 more kills than any other Red Wolf. Middle Blocker Anna Murphy leads the team in hitting percentage at .412 with 17 blocks on the season, but the most dangerous threat in the middle is Kelsey Reis with 28 blocks on the year. Setter Mallory Warrington runs the offense with 340 assists this season and leads the squad in service aces with 11. Libero Markie Schaedig has 196 digs, good enough for 6.12 digs per set.
 
On the Warhawks
Like ASU, UL Monroe has yet to play a conference match, but the Warhawks will begin conference play with a Wednesday match against UALR. After that, ULM will host Georgia State before the Bobcats get a crack at them.
 
The Warhawks have won four of their last five matches with the only loss coming to McNeese State. Three of the victories were sweeps with a 3-1 win over Grambling State.
 
Hope Pawlik and Hadley Swartz pace the Warhawks in their offensive attack with a combined 214 kills. Pawlik leads the way with 109. Setter Bayleigh Hoffman orchestrates the offense with 327 assists this season and also leads the team in aces with 15. Standout libero Marcela Araya has 224 digs for the team (5.33 digs per set) and is second on the squad with 12 aces.
 
On the Bobcats
Texas State's Shelby Vas Matt continues to tally double-doubles for the Bobcats with 11 on the season, including one (12 kills, 15 digs) against UT Arlington in the team's most recent match. She received plenty of support from sophomore counterpart Kelsey Weynand who led the Bobcats in kills with 17.
 
Freshmen Jordan Kohl and Lauren Kirch also stood out against UT Arlington and proved they are both forces with which to be reckoned for Texas State's upcoming opponents. Both freshmen have come on strong in the early season and will be weapons for the Bobcats going forward.
 
Libero Sierra Smith is a steady presence on the Bobcat defense, tallying 31 digs against UTA and leading the squad with 239 on the season. Kirch, meanwhile, paces the Bobcats in block with 36 for the year. Jordan Moore leads the team in assists with 430, but Ali Gonzales has come on strong to force the Bobcats into a 6-2 rotation. Gonzales has 211 assists on the year.
 

A Look Ahead
After this conference road trip, the Bobcats will return home to host SBC opponent South Alabama on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. After that, the Bobcats will take to the road to face Troy.