SAN ANTONIO, TX — The distance from the campus of Texas State University to the Alice P. McDermott Convocation Center on the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is only 49 miles. But
Jillian Slaughter used the 47-minute ride to San Antonio to capitalize on an opportunity.
Slaughter, a James Madison (TX) High School product, returned to her hometown this weekend and did
everything to help Texas State to a pair of three-set wins over UIW on Saturday. The 6-foot, senior middle blocker played all six sets on the day after finished with 12 kills on 23 attacks with six service aces, five total blocks and two digs.
But the most important stat to Slaughter was the one assist she was credited with during the early stages of the final set in the second match. It (setting) was something Slaughter worked on during pregame warm-ups and had an opportunity to do when a play broke down.
Daleigh Ellison took advantage of the set and planted the volleyball on the court for a kill.
When Slaughter exited the court, as part of her rotation, moments later, she yelled with excitement, "I practiced that before the match" while giving teammates high fives.
FROM HEAD COACH SEAN HUIET
"We are only 50 minutes up the road, but this is a hometown match for (
Alyssa Ortega,
Jillian Slaughter,
Emily DeWalt,
Jada Gardner and
Lauren Teske). They had a lot of fans. We had a big crowd. We always try to get kids close to home and sometimes we take that for granted, because we are so close to San Antonio, but we don't come down here that often. So, for them to be able to play in front of their home crowd, it was really fun."
FROM MIDDLE BLOCKER JILLIAN SLAUGHTER
"Oh, it was so awesome (to be able to play back in my hometown). My parents are here. My sister and her husband are here, too. And, in between games, we went and visited
Lauren Teske's family and her house and they had lunch for us and it was really fun."
STAT LEADERS
SCORES BY SET
Match 1
- 1st | Texas State 25, UIW 21
- 2nd | Texas State 25, UIW 11
- 3rd | Texas State 25, UIW 19
Match 2
- 1st | Texas State 25, UIW 16
- 2nd | Texas State 25, UIW 17
- 3rd | Texas State 25, UIW 23
MATCH NOTES
- Emily DeWalt, who was credited with 100 assists in 10 sets played throughout three matches over the weekend, was Texas State's representative on the Cardinal Classic's All-Tournament Team.
- During the third set of Texas State's first win against UIW on Saturday, redshirt-senior defensive specialist Alissa Miramontez appeared in her first set for Texas State since the Bobcats' second-round NCAA Tournament match against Nebraska on April 15, 2021. Against the Cardinals, Miramontez was credited with her first assist since earning one against TCU on March 18, 2021.
- In the second match on the afternoon, Texas State junior outside hitter Daleigh Ellison was credited with two block assists, marking the most block assists by the Aledo High School product in a single match during her Bobcat career.
- With her 11-kill performance in Saturday's two volleyball matches, senior middle blocker Tessa Marshall surpassed 300 career kills as a member of the Bobcat volleyball program. The Round Rock native will enter next week's three-match tilt with 310 career kills.
UP NEXT
- Texas State will continue its road warrior ways when the Bobcats catch a flight over the Pacific Ocean early next week to participate in the Outrigger Volleyball Classic, hosted by the University of Hawai'I at Manoa. Texas State will begin play against Hawaii on Friday, Sept. 2 at 12 AM CT, before playing a nationally-ranked UCLA volleyball program at 9:45 PM CT the same day.
FOLLOW US
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasStateVball on Twitter, Facebook and @TXStateVolleyball on Instagram. General athletic news can also be at @TxStateBobcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
