CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas State volleyball was able to cap a three-match-in-21-hour span in good fashion when the Bobcats knocked off UTEP in straight sets before upending Tarleton State in five sets on Friday.
Jada Gardner opened the day's action by displaying her potential as the Maryland transfer had 15 attacks on 22 total attacks (.591 hitting percentage) to combine with
Caitlan Buettner's 13 kills against the Miners. The win over UTEP (8-2) marked the second 3-set win of the season for Texas State (4-9) after beating Rhode Island in straight sets on Sept. 4, 2021.
Three hours later, Texas State was able to pick up its first five-set victory on the season after battling back from a 2-1 deficit heading into the fourth set against Tarleton State (4-6). Facing match point in the fourth set, the Bobcats reeled off three straight points — capped by a service ace from Gardner — to stay alive. In the fifth set, Texas State showed its resiliency as it battled from an 11-8 deficit to score four straight points. The two teams traded the next four points, before back-to-back kills from Gardner gave Texas State the win.
FROM HEAD COACH SEAN HUIET
"I love how we responded this morning with a 3-0 win versus a very good UTEP team. Then, this afternoon, it was good for this group to grind out a win. We are going to need that experience down the road. It's time to get some rest and ger ready for our trip to Alabama next weekend to start Sun Belt play."
STAT LEADERS
SCORES BY SET
- 1st | Texas State 25, UTEP 21
- 2nd | Texas State 25, UTEP 22
- 3rd | Texas State 25, UTEP 22
- 1st | Tarleton State, 25, Texas State 20
- 2nd | Texas State 25, Tarleton State 14
- 3rd | Tarleton State 25, Texas State 20
- 4th | Texas State 26, Tarleton State 24
- 5th | Texas State 15, Tarleton State 13
MATCH NOTES
- Against UTEP to begin Friday's action, Jacqueline Lee earned his first career stats The 5-foot-6 freshman defensive specialist out of The Woodlands, Texas by way of The Woodlands High School matched her career high with eight service receptions to go along with two digs in two sets played against the Miners.
- A night after making her season debut against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Jillian Slaughter appeared in a season-high three sets throughout the Bobcats' five-set win over Tarleton State. Slaughter had two kills in four total attacks, a service ace and three block assists during her time on the court.
- Jada Gardner set a career high with 28 kills during Texas State's five-set win over Tarleton State. Gardner's previous career high came during her time at Maryland when she was credited with 20 kills against Michigan State on Feb. 12, 2021. Gardner's kill total against the Texans was the most by a Bobcat student-athlete since Janell Fitzgerald had 30 at Arkansas State on Nov. 7, 2020.
- Speaking of career performances against Tarleton State, Bobcat sophomore setting Ryann Torres was credited with a career-high 47 assists. Her previous high was 38 against Rhode Island on Sept. 4, 2021.
UP NEXT
- With its tough non-conference schedule now behind them, the Texas State Bobcats will now turn their attention to Sun Belt Conference action when it travels to the Yellowhammer state next week to play Troy (Friday, Sept. 24) and South Alabama (Saturday, Sept. 25).
- 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.
