SAN MARCOS, Texas — Texas State volleyball went toe-to-toe with the #9 team in the nation, Arizona State, in a five-set thriller as the team's home opener. Texas State battled for five sets, tallying season highs as a team in kills, assists and digs despite falling narrowly in five sets.

Samantha Wunsch led the way for the Bobcats with a career-best 13 digs to pair with 21 kills and seven blocks tonight. That, alongside a career-best 45 assist outing for Anna Blaine and the first double-double of Jade Defraeye's career (11 kills, 10 blocks) helped the Bobcats compete with a top-10 team in the country.

WHAT HEAD COACH SEAN HUIET SAID: "That's a tough one. Yes they're number nine in the country, but I just thought we let it slip away from us a little bit. We're both kind of banged up right now early in the season, but this one is going to sting a little bit. Just a missed opportunity but there are some bright things that happened tonight, so we're going to have to get in and watch film and turn around quickly to play Tulsa who's a really good team."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
All five sets were back and forth between the two sides tonight, with things starting early in the first set. With 12 tied scores and four lead changes, it took extra points to decide a winner. Texas State won set one 26-24 after Wunsch tallied her 7^th kill on 16 swings with no errors in the first set. That, alongside three kills from Maggie Walsh and Nina Moorer helped the Bobcats edge out the Sun Devils. The Bobcats outserved the Sun Devils in set one with an ace and three errors, compared to five errors from ASU.

Set two was just as much of a battle between the two teams with seven set-points up for grabs between the two teams. Texas State came back from a 21-24 deficit to tie the match at 24-24 and force the set to a 30-28 finish, that ASU ultimately took. It came from a kill by Killian Neal and Bailey Miller to ultimately win the set, but not without a fight from the Bobcats. Despite being out-hit, the Bobcats six blocks to the Sun Devils two helped Texas State to battle through 13 tied scores and four lead changes.

Texas State had its best hitting of the night in set three. Texas State swung a match-best .343 with a 15-3-35 attack line as a team. That, while continuing to out-block ASU and forcing them into attack errors helped Texas State win the second set 25-20 and go up 2-1 in the match.

ASU was able to establish some momentum in the fourth set, though. Texas State tallied just 10 kills and had six attack errors in the fourth set, while ASU had 14 kills. That, paired with two aces to the Bobcats three serve errors, helped ASU win set four by a 25-19 score.

Set five continued to be back and forth, but five-straight kills from Arizona State when the score was 8-9 but the set away for Arizona State, who would win set five 9-15.
Texas State is now 3-3 on the season.

STAT LEADERS

• Kills – Samantha Wunsch (21)
• Assists – Anna Blaine (45)
• Blocks – Jade Defraeye (10)
• Digs – Alyssa Clark (14)

SCORES BY SET

• 1st | Texas State 26, Arizona State 24
• 2nd | Texas State 28, Arizona State 30
• 3rd | Texas State 25, Arizona State 20
• 4^th | Texas State 19, Arizona State 25
• 5^th | Texas State 9, Arizona State 15

MATCH NOTES

• Jade Defraeye tied a career-best in block assists en route to her double-double with 10 blocks and 11 kills tonight. This is the first double-double of her career.
• Nina Moorer had a career-high kills with 13 tonight, the first double-digit outing of her career.
• Samantha Wunsch had her second-career double-double with 21 kills and 13 digs tonight. Her 13 digs was also a career best. Her seven blocks also tied her career best.
• Alyssa Clark tied her career best in digs with 14 tonight.
• Anna Blaine had 45 assists tonight, also a career best for her.
   

UP NEXT
Texas State will face Tulsa tomorrow in Day 2 of the Texas State Invitational. The Bobcats' first serve will be at 6 pm inside Strahan Arena. Fans can purchase tickets at txst.com/tickets or tune in on ESPN+.

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