Welcome to the 2012 edition of Along the Chisum Trail where you will get insight into the Texas State women's volleyball program. Head Coach Karen Chisum and her players will chime in throughout the season to provide an inside look at the Bobcats. Be sure to check back frequently to stay current on all of the happenings of the 2012 season. Eat 'em up 'Cats!
October 22 - Patti Bradshaw - Senior, DS/L
The last two weeks have been pretty adventurous for the Bobcats. We have played four matches and been to four different states (if you count or connecting flight that landed in Las Vegas).
Our week-long trip started in Denver where we didn't get the win, but we did get to meet a group of junior high girls who were huge Bobcat fans! Our second match of the trip landed us in New Mexico where we got to see the border of Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico which was pretty entertaining for us. Our match against New Mexico State was one of the most exciting games of the season. We were the underdogs, but we fought like true Bobcats and clawed our way back for the victory in a very intense five-set match!
After the big win, we headed out to San Jose, California. In our third match, we didn't come out as strong as we expected to, and the Spartans were really on their game that night. So, on our seven-day trip around the country, the Bobcats ended up 1-2 on the road.
Excited to be back in wonderful San Marcos, the Bobcats had a huge game ahead of us. Next on the schedule was the I-35 rival Roadrunners. In our last match-up against UTSA, the Bobcats left with a tough loss, so we were determined to represent our school in our house! After another tough five-set match, the Bobcats came out victorious! It was another very exciting game, and we can't wait to get back in the gym to get ready for our next opponent!
Good news – we have two more home games coming up in the next week where we will take on Seattle and Idaho! Our match with Seattle is also our Dig Pink match where we will be wearing pink jerseys and having a silent auction to raise money for the Central Texas Medical Center. We hope to see you all there this week to cheer us on!
It's ALWAYS a great day to be a BOBCAT!
October 5 - Danielle Sanchou - Senior, DS/L
This past week was a long trip for the Bobcats. We flew to Idaho to play the Vandals on Wednesday and were off to Seattle on Friday to face the Redhawks on Saturday. Thursday night versus Idaho was a tough match. Five games after we came back from a 2-0 deficit. We then headed to Seattle where the Bobcats claimed our second WAC victory against the Redhawks with an exciting sweep.
While in Seattle, we got to walk the streets of downtown in our downtime and discover some of the great shopping sites. We also reunited with a former Bobcat volleyball player Matti Schumacher. Overall, the trip was great but nothing is better than being back playing in front of our home crowd at Strahan Coliseum. We beat UT Arlington last night and have another match here on Saturday.
Hope to see you all there at 2 p.m. when we take on Louisiana Tech. GO BOBCATS!!!
Watch Highlights From The Idaho/Seattle Trip
September 9 - Head Coach Karen Chisum
This 2012 version of the Bobcat volleyball team has worked extremely hard in the past four weeks, and coming from the head Cat, I will tell you we have improved quite a bit! NOW, also coming from the head Cat, we still have a LONG WAY to go in order to compete in the WAC, but the effort has been there by the players.
Our record stands 5-6 right now……..pre-WAC! I said at the Bobcat Club first meeting back in August that we might win one match in the preseason! Thank goodness, I didn't know what I was talking about. Actually, “on paper” (which coaches really hate) we won the matches we should have won and lost the ones the papers say we should have lost. Now, this staff is not pleased with not having any of the upsets (on our side!) that we were hoping for! There were a couple of matches that we competed in and with a little more “firepower,” we could have won. But…it is what it is!
This is a “young team”….one senior, two juniors, three sophomores, and two freshmen who have been starting fairly regularly! Unfortunately, the first game of the first match of the season, we lost a freshman outside hitter to an ACL injury, and she will be out this season. Thus, that created even a more limited “bench.” Our youngsters have had to learn fast …. there is no “sitting around” for another year; you are playing now!
We have enjoyed a tournament championship (Lamar Tournament), two wins over our former SLC rivals, and a good win over Conference USA opponent, SMU, at their home site. And we've experienced some of the “biggies”….USC (#5 ranked), Texas A&M, Baylor, Auburn and Wichita State. AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOES!
We'll be here at home this week for two matches: Thursday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 vs. San Jose State and Saturday, Sept. 15 at 2 pm vs. Utah State.
I hope you will come out and support the Bobcats as we enter into this new era of WAC play!
Fight on and Go Bobcats!
