SAN MARCOS, TX — Texas State's volleyball opponents know the Bobcats' offense goes as outside hitters
Janell Fitzgerald and
Jada Gardner go. Well, in a three-set match against Wake Forest Sunday afternoon, the Texas State offense went.
And went. And went. And went.
With preseason Sun Belt Setter of the Year
Emily DeWalt directing traffic, the Texas State (6-3) offense finished the match with a season-high .461 (49 kills, 8 errors, 89 total attacks) attack percentage, .084 higher than its previous best mark (.377 at UIW on Saturday, Aug. 27). It's the highest attack percentage by the Bobcats in a single match under third-year head coach
Sean Huiet and best since hitting .486 (41-6-72) in a three-set win against Troy on Sept. 24, 2017.
For the second time this season, Fitzgerald, who was named the Bobcat Invitational's Most Valuable Player, finished a match with an attack percentage of .500-or-higher as the graduate student finished with a .524 mark after totaling a match-leading 14 kills and just three errors on 21 total attacks.
And, just like the Bobcats' three-set win over Sam Houston to begin the weekend, Gardner joined her teammate with double-digit kills as the second-year Bobcat finished with 12 kills and just three errors on 20 total attacks for a .450 attack percentage.
Caitlan Buettner (.400 attack percentage) and
Tessa Marshall (.500) combined for 15 kills on 34 total attacks and zero attack errors.
FROM HEAD COACH SEAN HUIET
"It's been a crazy long day. We had our two matches on Friday and got to see football get a big win last night, so I like how our team was able to stay composed. I think we were also a little frustrated with how our match Friday night ended, but I thought we played really good, clean volleyball today. I mean, we hit .461 on the day. We talked a lot about our serve and pass and they responded, so I really like how we came out today and played."
STAT LEADERS
SCORES BY SET
- 1st | Texas State 25, Wake Forest 17
- 2nd | Texas State 25, Wake Forest 17
- 3rd | Texas State 25, Wake Forest 17
MATCH NOTES
- For the first time under third-year head coach Sean Huiet, the Texas State volleyball program won a three-set match by finishing each set with the same score: 25-17.
- By finishing Sunday's match with 36 assists and 14 digs, Emily DeWalt was credited with her 70th career double-double (assists, digs) and fourth on the season.
- Speaking of double-doubles, Sunday's match against Wake Forest marked the fourth time this season both Emily DeWalt (setter) and Janell Fitzgerald (outside hitter) recorded double-doubles in the same match. The duo also accomplished the feat against Houston Baptist, Hawaii and West Virginia prior to playing the Demon Deacons.
- Sunday's three-set win over Wake Forest marked the second time this season a crowd of over 1,000 people sat or stood inside Strahan Arena to watch the Texas State volleyball program play a match. Against Ole Miss on Friday, Sept. 9, the Bobcats drew a season-high 1,237 attendance, while their match against the Demon Deacons was played in front of 1,083 people.
- Texas State middle blocker Jillian Slaughter and setter Emily DeWalt were named to the Bobcat Invitational All-Tournament team.
UP NEXT
- After playing three matches inside Strahan Arena over the weekend, the Texas State volleyball program will return to the road when the Bobcats travel to Fort Worth, Texas, where they will participate in the Horned Frog Invitational hosted by TCU.
- Texas State will open play against Abilene Christian on Friday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m., before playing Alabama and TCU on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 12:30 and 6 p.m., respectively.
FOLLOW US
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasStateVball on Twitter, @TxStateVolleyball on Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can also be at @TxStateBobcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
