SAN MARCOS, Texas – On a day that started with honoring their six seniors, Texas State Volleyball defeated Fresno State 3-2 on Saturday inside Strahan Arena thanks to five Bobcats (8-16 overall, 3-10 Pac-12) finishing in double-digit kills led by redshirt freshman
Ashley Euston with 16.
Saturday's match was all about the middle blockers as fifth year
India Bennett and Euston combined for 28 of Texas State's 63 kills against the Bulldogs (7-16 overall, 2-10 Pac-12). Sophomore
Peyton McKee also posted a double-double for the third-straight game while senior
Dylan Gilkey crossed the 1,000 career assists threshold.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: 25-22
The Bobcats jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in the first set thanks to a combination of kills and a service ace from Euston. Both Euston and McKee posted three kills each while Euston collected her first three blocks of the day. Gilkey also earned her 1,000th career assist on the ninth Texas State point of the day. Euston was also the sole Bobcat with a service ace while senior
Ameena Campbell led the back row with three digs.
Set 2: 25-22
Texas State recorded a respectable 13 kills against the Bulldogs,11 but Fresno State moved from a .062 hitting percentage in the first to a .353 in the second. Senior
Brooke Bentke tallied four kills on .500 efficiency while Euston tacked on another three to her total. In addition, McKee, Bennett, and freshman
Janet Onuorah contributed two kills as well. Euston continued her defensive dominance at the net with another two blocks alongside Gilkey and Bentke.
Set 3: 25-23
While both teams posted a total of 16 kills in the third, Fresno State outblocked Texas State and committed just two fewer attack errors than the home team. Euston continued her success, adding another five kills in the frame, while McKee posted another four. Both Bentke and Bennett recorded three each while Euston and Bentke combined for the sole block of the set.
Set 4: 25-22
Down 2-1, Texas State stormed back in the fourth set, posting an impressive .406 team hitting percentage to Fresno State's .257. Onuorah swung for a staggering .714 and led the Bobcats in kills with five. The Bobcats also came back to life at the net, posting three blocks to the Bulldogs' one. At the service line, the freshman were the heroes with both
Izzy Scholvin and Onuorah recording a service ace each.
Set 5: 16-14
Needing extra points to decide a winner, the fifth and final frame had the most lead changes and tied for the most tied scores in set. Texas State took advantage of Fresno State errors and capitalized alongside their seven kills and one block. Bennett posted a team-high three kills while Euston and Onuorah tacked on two each. In addition, McKee and Euston worked together to help record the single block.
QUOTABLE
Sean Huiet on the Senior Day Win
"We've had these moments before, and to end up on the other end is great. There was some growth for us there to be able to close that out even though they put pressure on us. And again, not going to get super emotional, but I wanted it for [
Brooke Bentke and
Ally Adair] because they're four-year seniors that have put their life into Texas State Volleyball. To be able to win for them is really special for me."
NOTABLES
- Saturday's win snaps a seven-match skid for the Bobcats
- Ashley Euston posted a career-high 16 kills
- Peyton McKee posted her third-straight double double with 12 kills and 13 digs.
- Five total Bobcats finished in double-digit kills: Ashley Euston (16), Peyton McKee (12), India Bennett (12), Brooke Bentke (10), and Janet Onuorah (10).
- Saturday's match also marks the first time Texas State finished with four or more players with double digit kills since Sept. 5 against A&M-Corpus Christi.
- Texas State posted 11 blocks to Fresno State's seven.
