SAN MARCOS, TX — Texas State volleyball had a successful tune-up exhibition match against UTSA, finding success in a five-match thriller with a come-from-behind win.
The Bobcats were able to get a win in the first set after a back and forth first set. The team went up 16-10 for the largest lead of the first set. Despite the Roadrunners attempting to claw back, the Bobcats held them at bay long enough to get the 25-22 set win.
In set two the Roadrunners had the Bobcats number. Despite the team's best efforts, a 8-1 scoring run by the Roadrunners was enough to silence the Bobcats' offense and take set two.
Again in set three the Roadrunners got off to a hot start. After going up 12-4, the Bobcats worked on a comeback. A 5-2 scoring run pulled the Bobcats within five points, spearheaded by
Alyssa Ortega's serves, but the comeback would fall short. Another hot streak from the Roadrunners to end the set on a 5-1 scoring run solidified set two.
The Bobcats found their groove in set four, though. With Ortega serving again the Bobcats got out to an early 5-1 lead. The Bobcats combined for 15 kills, six by
Samantha Wunsch and five by
Bailey Hanner to solidify a dominate 25-15 win in set four.
Set five started out close between the two sides, but the Bobcats had a slight edge. Halfway through the Bobcats held a 8
-5 lead, from there it was just battling through to the end. The Bobcats ended the night on a 5-0 scoring run, highlighted by two kills from Wunsch and an ace from
Ryann Torres.
After battling through a 2-1 deficit in set three, the Bobcats fought for a 3-2 win in it's season-opening exhibition.
FROM HEAD COACH SEAN HUIET
"[UTSA] put a lot of pressure on us. We needed someone on the other side of the net to see where we are at, so it wasn't out cleanest volleyball. But I liked that we stayed composed. It almost felt like we were playing too tense and that's where the errors came from, once we got them to relax a little bit, things looked better. And now headed into Friday we've already played a match and gotten the nerves out."
STAT LEADERS
SCORES BY SET
- 1st | Texas State 25, UTSA 22
- 2nd | UTSA 25, Texas State 18
- 3rd | UTSA 25, Texas State 21
- 4th | Texas State 25, UTSA 15
- 5th | Texas State 15, UTSA 8
MATCH NOTES
This was the Bobcats lone exhibition game ahead of the start of the 2023 season. Regular season play begins at the Tennessee Classic at the University of Tennessee on Aug. 25.
UP NEXT
Texas State will open its 2023 campaign at the Tennessee Classic hosted by the University of Tennessee. The Bobcats' season will open on Aug. 25 versus Marist College at 9 a.m. (CT) as game one of a double matchday, seeing Tennessee in the evening match at 5:30 p.m.. The Bobcats will also see UT Martin on Aug. 26 again at 9 a.m. (CT).
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.
