SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State volleyball team battled to a 3-1 (25-22, 25-15, 28-30, 25-18) triumph over Little Rock in a Sun Belt Conference match Friday night inside Strahan Arena.
 
The Bobcats (12-5, 3-0 Sun Belt) now own the league's longest current winning streak at seven matches, while the Trojans (10-6, 2-1) suffered their first conference setback of the year.
 
True freshman Janell Fitzgerald led a quartet of Bobcats in double figures with 18 kills. Senior Madison Daigle posted a .478 attack percentage with 12 kills and just one error on 23 swings. Classmate Amy Pflughaupt tallied 11 kills, and sophomore Tyeranee Scott added 10.
 
True freshman Emily DeWalt extended her Sun Belt lead with her 10th double-double of the season, finishing with 55 assists and 14 digs. Junior Micah Dinwiddie had a match-high 21 digs.
 
Laura Jansen paced LR with 13 kills, while Veronica Marin added 10. The reigning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week had just three blocks in the match. Taylor Lindberg (24) and Pamela Zuluaga (19) combined for 43 assists.
 
Texas State led the match in kills (69-46), attack percentage (.271-.232), assists (67-46), aces (8-4), and digs (75-44). Little Rock ended with more blocks, 9-5.

SET 1
Texas State got on the board first with a 25-22 win in the opening period. There were seven ties and four lead changes, with the final switch of momentum occurring at the 14-14 mark. The Bobcats scored the next two points and led the rest of the way. They stretched their lead out to four points on three occasions – 21-17, 22-18 and 24-20 – before settling for the three-point set win.
 
SET 2
The maroon and gold were never threatened in the second, claiming the set 25-15. They jumped on top 15-8 and did not allow Little Rock to get any closer. TXST continued to build its lead all the way out until reaching the 10-point summit.
 
SET 3
The Trojans swatted away a pair of Texas State match points to win the third 30-28 and extend the evening to another frame. The third featured a whopping 22 ties and 11 lead changes. Neither side led by more than two points until Little Rock went ahead 21-18. The Bobcats then used a 5-1 run to take a 23-22 lead. They found match points at 24-23 and 27-26, but Little Rock earned kills from Mya Robinson on both plays to pull back level. The visitors eventually captured the set on their fourth try.
 
SET 4
The night ended with the home side winning the fourth and final set 25-18. Neither team found much separation in the initial moments, playing even all the way to 16-16. TXST then used a 4-0 surge that led to a final 9-2 run to end the match.
 
Texas State has now won five of the last six meetings with Little Rock and leads the all-time series 7-5.
 
The Bobcats will remain home for a contest against rival Arkansas State at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29 inside Strahan Arena.