SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Texas State volleyball opened the 2025 season with a split day at the UTSA Invitational.
 
Despite winning the first set against SFA, Texas State went on to suffer a 3-1 loss after errors plagued the Bobcats through the last three sets of the first match. Texas State went on to bounce back, though, beating UTSA 3-1 to finish the day on a high note.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
TXST 1, SFA 3
Anna Blaine ran the Bobcats offense in game one versus the Jacks. She tallied her first-career double-double with 13 digs and 31 assists. That, paired with 12 kills from Samantha Wunsch led the Bobcats in the first match of the day.

The Bobcats swung well in set one, tallying 14 kills while holding SFA to a .093 attack percentage. The Jacks were plagued by errors early on that helped the 'Cats to the set one win. Led by five kills from Wunsch, Texas State won set one 25-21. Despite two tied scores and a lead change, the Bobcats 4-0 run to make it an 18-13 set helped them through to the end of the set.

The Jacks found their offensive stride in set two, though. Improving to a .375 attack percentage while holding the Bobcats to just nine kills and seven attack errors. That, paired with four receiving errors and two service errors, the Bobcats were held to just 16 points in the second set.

Texas State hit better in set three, but it still wasn't enough as the Jacks maintained their average over .300. That and being out dug 13-8 kept the Bobcats from getting into a rhythm in set three. SFA took set three 25-17.

Set four was all Jacks, while they swung .407, they limited Texas State to just .188. The Bobcats errors had been their Achilles heel through the three sets as they dropped the first match of the season 3-1. 

STAT LEADERS VS SFA:

• Kills – Samantha Wunsch (12)
• Assists – Anna Blaine (31)
• Blocks – Bailey Hanner (4)
• Digs – Anna Blaine (13)

 
SCORES BY SET VS SFA

• 1st | Texas State 25, SFA 21
• 2nd | Texas State 16, SFA 25
• 3rd | Texas State 17, SFA 25
• 4th | Texas State 14, SFA 25

TXST 3, UTSA 1
Texas State started out the second match of the day with effective swinging, tallying 11 kills on 20 attacks for a .450 attack percentage. They swung effectively while forcing the Roadrunner's into six attack efforts. That, paired with the Bobcats five aces in the first set helped the Bobcats win the first set 25-17. The Bobcats also had three blocks in the first set, enroute to the team's 13.0 on the night. 

Set two was a battle for the entire set. There were nine lead changes and 19 tied scores throughout the set that Texas State won 34-32. There were 10 set points between the two teams to determine a winner in the second set. Ultimately, it was a kill from freshman outside Adison Ozuna that sealed the set for Texas State. The two teams each had 19 kills and 4.0 team blocks, while Texas State had 16 digs to the Roadrunners 18, and 17 assists to the Roadrunners 18. Set two was a battle to the end, with Texas State finding a way to win it. Wunsch led the way in set two though, with 10 kills of her own.

Neither side really found a rhythm in set three, with the consistent tied scores and lead changes throughout again. The Bobcats managed to stay in the set throughout it, despite tallying just 7 kills. UTSA was plagues by errors, with nine attack errors and four service errors, which helped keep it close. UTSA was able to narrowly take the set 25-23 in the end, though.

It took until the later stages of set four for the Bobcats to find their momentum, but a run from 17-16 to 22-16 gave the Bobcats the edge they needed to see out the match. A fruitful defense for Texas State, who had 5.0 team blocks in the fourth set alone, set them up for success. That and taking advantage of Roadrunner errors helped the Bobcats to a 25-23 win in set four to win the match. 

STAT LEADERS VS UTSA:

• Kills – Samantha Wunsch (23)
• Assists – Anna Blaine (37)
• Blocks – Jade Defraeye (9)
• Digs – Samantha Wunsch (10)

 
SCORES BY SET VS UTSA

• 1st | Texas State 25, UTSA 17
• 2nd | Texas State 34, UTSA 32
• 3rd | Texas State 23, UTSA 25
• 4th | Texas State 25, UTSA 23

MATCH NOTES:

• Wunsch recorded her first double-double of the season against UTSA, which was her first career double-double with kills and digs. She had 23 kills and 10 digs on the night.
• Blaine had her top two outings of her career, with 31 and 37 assisy in today's two matches for a career high. 
• Blaine also had her first career double-double with 31 kills and 13 digs against SFA.

• Two freshmen made their debuts, Britton Finley and Ozuna, who recorded their first career kills in their debuts.
   

UP NEXT
The Bobcats will continue its road trip at UTRGV for the Southwest Showdown. The Southwest Showdown features four Texas-based teams, UTRGV, UTEP, Texas A&M – Corpus Christi and Texas State. The four schools will rotate hosting the tournament each season, this year being hosted by the Vaqueros. The tournament runs Sept. 4-6 and the Bobcats will face UTRGV to start it on Sept. 4 at 6:30 pm. The Bobcats first game will the lone of the tournament on ESPN+.

FOLLOW US
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