SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State concludes its spring home schedule with three matches in three days. First is a 6 p.m. rematch against North Texas on Thursday, March 25, then a 6 p.m. match against Texas Tech on Friday, March 27. The weekend will end with another match against Texas Tech at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 27. All matches will be played at Strahan Arena in San Marcos.
The Bobcats (28-8, 15-1 Sun Belt) got back in the win column with a four-set victory at Houston that snapped a five-match losing streak. Offensively, the Bobcats have a .237 hitting percentage and averages 13.64 kills on 12.76 assists per set. They also average 1.17 aces per set (148 total). On the defensive side, the team has 2.05 blocks and 16.18 digs per set.
Junior outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald leads the Bobcats with 3.47 kills per set (.315) and has 437 total kills this season. She is 48 kills away from breaking into the top five of the program's record book for the most kills in a single season. Fitzgerald has 95 total blocks (0.75 per set), including 19 solo blocks.
Junior setter Emily DeWalt directs the offense with 10.62 assists per set and has a total of 1,338 helpers this season. DeWalt ranks No. 5 in the program's record book with 3,804 career assists, and this season, she averages 2.94 digs per set, has a total of 100 kills (.303), 57 blocks (four solos), and 17 aces.
Senior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott paces TXST with 101 total blocks (0.89 per set) and has 21 solo blocks this year. Scott also leads the team with a .347 hitting percentage behind 2.54 kills per set and contributes 41 digs and two aces to her season statistics.
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS
The Mean Green (11-9, 6-6 C-USA) enters the weekend with a five-match winning streak, where they have dropped only two sets in that period. UNT is coming off a two-match sweep at Southern Miss, which accounts for two of its three road victories this season (3-6). Statistically, UNT is hitting .225 and gives up a .231 hitting percentage to their opponents. They also average 12.56 kills, 11.38 assists, 1.09 aces (84 total), 2.10 blocks, and 15.57 digs per set.
Junior outside hitter Rhett Robinson leads the team with 4.18 kills per set and adds 0.88 blocks per set and 18 aces. Senior outside hitter Valerie Valerian follows with 3.07 kills per set, and junior middle blocker Sarah Haessler leads the team with a .346 hitting percentage and 1.07 blocks per set to go along with 1.90 kills on average. Senior setter Kaliegh Skopal averages 9.38 assists per set and has 15 aces, and junior defensive specialist Henrianna Ibarra leads with 3.28 digs per set.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH
The Red Raiders (9-13, 5-11 Big 12) are on a two-match winning streak and have won four of their last five matches after pulling out a pair of five-set victories at SMU last weekend. The two matches against Texas State will serve as the season finale for Tech as they posted a 5-11 record in conference play last fall. TTU is hitting .231 behind 12.83 kills per set and has 11.76 assists and 1.15 aces per set. Defensively, the Red Raiders give up a .248 hitting percentage to their opponents, averages 1.94 blocks, and 14.49 digs per set.
Senior outside hitter Samantha Sanders leads the charge with 3.59 kills per set and adds 2.09 digs per set and 15 total aces. Sophomore right-side Caitlin Dugan averages 2.70 kills per set and has a team-high 52 total blocks (0.71/set), although sophomore middle blocker Cadi Boyer leads the way with 0.89 blocks per set (40 total). Junior setter Alex Kirby directs the offense with 10.07 assists per set to go along with 2.35 digs per set, 62 total kills with a .353 hitting percentage, and 14 aces.
SERIES HISTORY
Texas State looks to avenge a sweep at the hands of North Texas earlier this spring in Denton, Texas, but the Bobcats still lead the all-time series 27-7-2. UNT will visit Strahan Arena for the first time since 2014, where the Mean Green won in straight sets.
The Bobcats trail in the all-time series against the Red Raiders 10-21-1 and have lost four of the last five meetings, three of which were five sets. The last time the two teams played each other was on Dec. 1, 2017, when Tech swept TXST in Strahan. The last time Texas State defeated Texas Tech was a sweep on Sept. 15, 2016, on a neutral floor.
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