SAN MARCOS, Texas – The No. 15 Texas State (11-1, 6-0 Sun Belt) volleyball team return home to take on Little Rock (1-8, 1-7 Sun Belt) in a three-match series on Oct. 23-24 at Strahan Arena. On Friday, Oct. 23, both teams will compete in a doubleheader with the first match beginning at 11 a.m. followed by a 6 p.m. bout. The series concludes at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24.
 
Friday's 6 p.m. match and Saturday's 1 p.m. match will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available for all three matches.
 
The Bobcats are currently on an eight-match winning streak, as well as a 12-match home winning streak against Sun Belt opponents dating back to the 2019 season. After a dominant weekend at RV Louisiana, the Bobcats enter the weekend as the league leaders boasting a .258 hitting percentage and rank No. 2 in kills per set (13.98) and assists per set (13.09). On the defensive side of the net, Texas State ranks No. 3 with 2.15 blocks per set and holds its opponents to a .145 hitting percentage, the third-lowest in the league.
 
Junior outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald, this week's Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week, leads the Bobcats with 3.48 kills per set which ranks No. 8 in the Sun Belt and is tied with senior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott with a .336 hitting percentage (No. 5 in the Sun Belt).  Scott paces the team with 35 total blocks, including a team-high eight solo blocks, while Fitzgerald follows with 32 total blocks. Sophomore outside Caitlan Buettner follows with 2.90 kills per set (90 total kills) and sophomore outside hitter Lauren Teske averages 2.54 kills per set to round out the club's top hitters. Teske also leads the Bobcats with 11 total aces, a stat that ranks No. 8 in the Sun Belt. Junior setter Emily DeWalt, is this week's Sun Belt Conference Setter of the Week directs the offense with 10.79 assists per set (No. 4 in the Sun Belt) and has registered 3.26 digs per set, 44 kills behind a .353 hitting percentage, and eight aces. Junior libero Kayla Granado anchors the defense with 4.05 digs per set (178 total digs) that sits at No. 9 in the conference. Granado also has nine aces this season.
 
SCOUTING LITTLE ROCK
Little Rock is currently nursing a four-match losing streak after picking up its first win of the season against travel partner Arkansas State (3-1) on Oct. 2. The Trojans have a .196 hitting percentage which ranks No. 6 in the Sun Belt, and although they register 2.15 blocks per set (No. 4 in the Sun Belt), they give up a .246 hitting percentage to their opponents which sits at No. 11 in the league.
 
Junior outside hitter Laura Jansen is the team's leader and paces the conference with 4.47 kills per set. She also leads the Trojans with a .259 hitting percentage and has 12 aces on the year. Janson averages 3.94 digs per set (134 total digs) and has 19 total blocks (three solos). Sophomore setter Alyssa Nayar accounts for 6.29 assists per set (214 total) while adding 2.12 digs per set and four aces. Senior setter Nathalia Vigineski contributes 4.62 assists per set (157 total) and matches Jansen's 12 aces. Freshman middle blocker Zanobia Willis leads the team with 1.24 blocks per set (42 total blocks), and junior libero Leigh Maher ranks No. 2 in the Sun Belt with 5.76 digs per set (196 total).
 
SERIES HISTORY
Texas State is leading the all-time series vs. Little Rock 11-5 and are currently on a seven-match winning streak. After losing the first three matches played in San Marcos, the Bobcats have won the last five matches when playing against the Trojans at home.
 
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