Box Score SAN MARCOS, Texas — For the third time this season — and second against a Sun Belt Conference opponent in 2021 —
Jada Gardner was credited with 20-or-more kills in a match during Texas State's four-set victory over Appalachian State Saturday night.
Gardner concluded Texas State's volleyball match Saturday with 20 kills on 45 attacks with five errors — a .333 hitting percentage — to go along with five digs, a service ace and block assist en route to earning 21.5 points. Gardner, who transferred to Texas State from Big 10 institution Maryland during the offseason, opened this season's conference slate with 21 kills on a .655 hitting percentage at Troy on Friday, Sept. 24. This came a week after recording a career-high 27 kills on a .407 hitting percentage against Tarleton State on Friday, Sept. 17.
FROM HEAD COACH SEAN HUIET
"I am glad we got the win tonight, but we talked in the locker room after the match about how we need to continue getting better every match. It's always scary after a big emotional win, how they will come out the next day. I thought we battled and found a way to win when it wasn't our best product. Kudos to App State and specially Emma Reilly, who made us work for every point. They played relentless defense and put the pressure on us. I thought everyone did a good job getting us big swings, even when we were out of system. Jada played extremely well offensively tonight."
STAT LEADERS
SCORES BY SET
- 1st | Texas State 26, App State 24
- 2nd | Texas State 25, App State 16
- 3rd | App State 26, Texas State 24
- 4th | Texas State 25, App State 21
MATCH NOTES
- With her 52-assist evening, Texas State senior setter Emily DeWalt passed Krystal Kolkhorst (2001-04) for third on the program's career assists list. DeWalt, who enters next weekend with 4,481 career assists trails only Kristy Braun (5,517; 1991-94) and Nicky Rose (5,010; 1995-98) in the record book.
- Speaking of record books, fellow Texas State senior Janell Fitzgerald continued her climb up the program's career kills list as the outside hitter sits at ninth place with 1,273. She passed Darbie Bruning (1,272; 1985-87) for the spot Friday evening.
- Texas State senior setter Emily DeWalt set a season high with 52 assists against App State Saturday night. It marked the first time DeWalt has surpassed the 50-assist mark in a single match since being credited with 52 in five sets at Arkansas State on Nov. 7, 2020. The 52 assists in four sets against the Mountaineers were the most assists in a four-set match by DeWalt since setting her career high with 64 against Little Rock on Oct. 23, 2020.
- With App State (7-15, 3-7) winning the match's third set, it snapped a streak of 17 consecutive sets won by Texas State (12-11, 8-2) dating back to a four-set loss to Louisiana on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021.
UP NEXT
- Following its brief two-match homestand, the Texas State volleyball program will return to the road as the Bobcats travel to Statesboro, Ga., to play Georgia Southern on Friday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. The following day, the Bobcats head up to Atlanta to play Georgia State at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30.
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasStateVball on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can also be at @TxStateBobcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
