COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas State volleyball team picks up a win in its first match on the day with a 3-1 (14-25, 25-20, 25-10,25-20) triumph Friday afternoon over UT Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) at Reed Arena. The Bobcats are now 4-5 this season.
 
"I am proud of the way we came back," said head coach Karen Chisum. "We were not particularly bad in the first set, but they [UTRGV] dug everything we hit. Our defense was great, and we stuck in there today. UTRGV can be a great team or they can struggle. Once we got them down some I think they folded a little but then they fought hard the fourth set, so I am very pleased in our fight."
 
The Bobcats held the Vaqueros to an opposing team season-low .092 hitting percentage and hit .156 in the match. The Bobcats logged double-figure blocks and service aces for the second time this season as they collected 14 and 10, respectively, and held the match advantage in kills (47-37) and assists (45-35). The Vaqueros had a 65-57 margin in digs. Texas State improved its record to 25-1 all-time vs. UTRGV and have won nine straight in the series.
 
Texas State's senior O1 Cheyenne Huskey turned in her 10th career double-double as she matched a season-high 16 kills and had 13 digs. Huskey was also one of five Bobcats to log two aces. Both sophomore middle Jillian Slaughter and freshman outside hitter Lauren Teske registered a season-high eight kills and Slaughter added four blocks and two aces. Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt recorded her third double-double of the season with 40 assists and season-best 12 digs to go along with her four kills and two aces. Sophomore outside Janell Fitzgerald matched a career-high six blocks and had six kills and junior libero Brooke Johnson had a career-high 13 digs. Senior defensive specialists Micah Dinwiddie and Rylie Fuentes each had two aces apiece.  
    
UTRGV's freshman outside hitter Victoire Nama led the team with 12 kills followed by senior outside and captain Barbara Silva's 10 kills. Junior setter Debora Nazario had a double-double with 28 assists and 13 digs, sophomore outside Sarah Cruz had a team-high five blocks, and junior libero Samaret Caraballo had a match-high 21 digs. Both Caraballo and Cruz had four service aces to lead all players.
 
 
Set 1
Both clubs went back-and-forth to a 10-10 tie until UTRGV went on a massive 9-0 run to create separation before TXST's freshman outside Caitlan Buettner got a kill to bring the count to 19-11. The Vaqueros kept the momentum, however, and ended the set with a 6-3 run capped off by back-to-back aces for a 25-14 victory.
 
Set 2
A 4-0 burst by the Bobcats gave the team an 8-5 early lead to force the Vaqueros first timeout of the match. However, the designated home team regrouped and tied the set at 13 before an ace gave UTRGV a 14-13 lead. It was not until 17-16 that the Bobcats regained the lead for good and scored eight of the final 12 points to win the frame 25-20.
 
Set 3
The Bobcats dominated the opposition to take the lead in the match. Although the Vaqueros battled back to a one-point deficit after an early 5-1 Bobcat lead, the Maroon and Gold answered with a 14-2 scoring run for a 21-8 lead and ultimately won the set comfortably, 25-10.
 
Set 4
The Vaqueros worked hard to force a fifth set and held an 11-8 advantage early to force a Bobcat timeout. On the other side of the break, TXST scored three-in-a-row for the tie but finally got over the hump for the fourth lead change of the set at 20-19 after a Huskey kill. Dinwiddie followed with an ace, and Huskey found the floor again for a 22-19 advantage. TXST went on to win the set 25-20 thanks to three consecutive UTRGV errors.
 
Texas State will be back on the floor at 5 p.m. to play Northwestern State.
 
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