HONOLULU, HI — Prior to an athletic event, every coaching staff wants to find
that strategic advantage. Or an area of the playing surface that'll provide an opportunity for positive results.
In a three-set match against No. 23 UCLA (3-1) on Friday evening, that
area was more of a position group for the Texas State (3-2) volleyball coaching staff. More specially, the Bobcats' middle blockers.
Of Texas State's 31 total kills versus the Bruins,
Tessa Marshall and
Jillian Slaughter combined for 15 or 48.4 percent of the team's kill total. Marshall, who was limited during the team's match day practice session earlier in the day, was credited with a season-high nine kills and zero attack errors on 21 total attacks for a .429 attack percentage. The nine kills were the most for the Round Rock native since having nine at Georgia State on Oct. 30, 2021.
Slaughter, who entered Friday's match having appeared in 13 sets throughout four matches this season after totaling just 13 during the fall portion of the Bobcats' 2021 schedule, matched her season high with six kills on a season-high 17 total attacks. She also was credited with three digs, the most by a Bobcat middle blocker on the night.
The duo, who combined with 18.5 of Texas State's 38.0 points on the night, also combined for six — three each — total blocks. Marshall finished with three block assists, while Slaughter added two block assists and a solo block at the net.
FROM HEAD COACH SEAN HUIET
"I'm happy with how our middle (blockers) played tonight. I thought Tessa (Marshall) and Jill (Slaughter) did a really good job. Tessa led us tonight (in kills) and Jill's energy really tried to get the team going. We are at the beginning stages of our season and are just trying to find out what our identity is. I think this weekend, with a little bit stronger competition, we are kind of questioning where we are at. We are an older group, so we are frustrated a little bit but, again, it's so early in our season. I thought tonight, as a team, we didn't pass extremely great, but we did a good job of finding our middles because they led us."
STAT LEADERS
SCORES BY SET
- 1st | Texas State 22, UCLA 25
- 2nd | Texas State 13, UCLA 25
- 3rd | Texas State 18, UCLA 25
MATCH NOTES
- With 12 digs in three sets played Friday night, Alyssa Ortega has been credited with double-digit digs in back-to-back matches for the first time in her Texas State career after having 13 digs against Hawaii on Thursday night. It's the first time Ortega has accomplished the feat since recording 13 against Sam Houston (11/13/21) and 11 versus Chicago State (11/18/21) as a member of the Stephen F. Austin volleyball program.
- By opening the match's third set with a service ace, Courtney Heiser extended Texas State's streak with at least one service ace to 102 consecutive matches. The Bobcats have recorded at least one service ace in every match under third-year head coach Sean Huiet. The last time Texas State failed to be credited with a service ace with on Sept. 12, 2019, when the Bobcats played a four-set match at Texas A&M.
- Emily DeWalt's 26 assists throughout Friday night's three-set match was the second-lowest assist total on the season for the graduate student. In a three-set win at UIW on Saturday, Aug. 27, DeWalt was credited with only 23.
- Against the Bruins, Alissa Miramontez was credited with a season-high five digs in just one set played. It marked the most digs in a single match for Miramontez since digging a career-high eight attacks at Kansas State on March 4, 2021. Her five digs during the third set were tied with Alyssa Ortega for the most by a Bobcat student-athlete during the match's final set.
UP NEXT
- Following an off day on Saturday, Sept. 3, the Texas State volleyball program will conclude its participation in the Outrigger Volleyball Classic, hosted by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, when the Bobcats play West Virginia on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 7:45 p.m. CST / 2:45 p.m. HST.
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.
