WACO, Texas – The Texas State volleyball team lost 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 25-17) to No. 26 Marquette on the first day of the Hampton Inn and Suites Waco North Baylor Invitational Friday evening inside Ferrell Center.
 
The match was the season opener for both programs.
 
Freshman setter Emily DeWalt registered 17 assists and seven digs in her program debut. Senior outside hitter Megan Porter tallied a team-high 11 kills and just two errors on 37 swings. Junior setter Cheyenne Huskey filled the stat sheet with eight kills, eight assists and six digs in her inaugural match sporting the maroon and gold.
 
Hope Werch paced Marquette with 13 kills and eight digs, while reigning Big East Conference Player of the Year Allie Barber finished with 12 kills. Both Jenna Rosenthal and Elizabeth Orf tallied 10 kills, Martha Konovodoff (22) and Anna Haak (12) recorded double-digit digs, and Lauren Speckman (32) and Sarah Rose (16) dished out double-figure assists.
 
Texas State led the match in blocks (5-3) and had fewer errors (10-13), while Marquette was tops in kills (56-33), attack percentage (.368-.221), assists (53-33), aces (3-2) and digs (58-41).
 
SET 1
The opening period was tight throughout, with neither club able to find a lead more than two points at any given moment. Texas State's best opportunity came late when the team used a 3-0 run to take a 17-16 advantage, but Marquette scored the next three points and never trailed again. The Bobcats were able to force a timeout after pulling within one at 24-23, but the Golden Eagles used one final kill to take the early advantage.
 
SET 2
Marquette used the momentum swing to claim the second set 25-17. TXST battled to an 11-10 deficit, but the Golden Eagles mounted a 6-1 run to take control of the period. The closest the Bobcats would get the remainder of the frame would be four points.
 
SET 3
TXST stayed within three points in the early going of the third, but MU powered into a 20-10 lead before claiming the final period 25-17. The Bobcats had a 4-0 run late to pull within six but could not get any closer.
 
Texas State will remain in Waco for a pair of matches Aug. 25 to close out the Baylor Invitational. TXST will first meet host and No. 16-ranked Baylor at 10:30 a.m. before taking on LSU at 5 p.m.
 
-- TXSTATEBOBCATS.COM --