Bobcat volleyball continues road slate to open new season

Staff Reports

LUBBOCK — Following a two-day stay in Dayton, Ohio last weekend, the Texas State volleyball program will continue its non-conference schedule with three more matches away from San Marcos this weekend.

Texas State will open the Red Raider Classic on Friday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. against Texas Tech inside the United Supermarkets Arena. The Bobcats will then turn around to play its second nationally-ranked opponent on the young season when they square off against No. 6 Ohio State at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4. A match against Rhode Island at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4 will conclude the three-match weekend road schedule for Texas State.

LOOKING AT THE BOBCATS

Tyeranee Scott enters Friday night’s contest with the second-most total blocks among Sun Belt Conference student-athletes. Scott, a Houston native, has been credited with 13 total blocks (1 solo, 12 assist) through the first three matches of the Texas State season. Only Little Rock’s Zanobia Willis, who was named the conference’s defensive player of the week earlier this week, has more total blocks as the sophomore has 16 through three matches.

Janell Fitzgerald (24) and Tessa Marshall (22) head into the Red Raider Classic as the only two Bobcats with 20-or-more kills so far this season. Scott (19), Jada Gardner (18), Lauren Teske (15) and Caitlan Buettner (10) all look to join that group throughout the weekend.

With 38 assists throughout Texas State’s four-set match against Cincinnati, senior setter Emily DeWalt surpassed 4,000 assists for her career. The Louis D. Brandeis High School product will head into the second weekend of the season with 4,055 career assists. DeWalt is one of just five student-athletes to reach the milestone during their Bobcat career.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

Ohio State became the first volleyball program in the 2021 season to earn a victory over a top-five program when the Buckeyes beat then-No. 4 Washington in four sets (23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-18). The Buckeyes come into the weekend with a 2-0 record after knocking off Northern Kentucky in straight sets to open the season.

Rhode Island picked up two wins (Quinnipiac, Holy Cross) in three matches during the Art Carmichael Invitational to start its season last weekend. The Rams, then, dropped a five-set mid-week contest to Providence.

Texas Tech picked up two wins — East Tennessee and NC State — in the Tennessee Classic and dropped a three-set match to Tennessee. The Red Raiders went on to beat Abilene Christian in three sets earlier this week to set the stage for this weekend’s Red Raider Classic action. 

SERIES HISTORY

Ohio State – Texas State and Ohio State have only linked up once on a volleyball court prior to Saturday. The Buckeyes took a three-set match on Aug. 26, 2016.

Rhode Island – Saturday’s game will mark the first match between Texas State and Rhode Island since Sept. 13, 2007, which the Bobcats won. TXST holds the all-time advantage, 2-1.

Texas Tech – The Red Raiders hold the advantage in the series history with a 21-10-1 all-time record against Texas State. Friday night’s matchup will mark the first game between the programs in Lubbock since Sept. 12, 2014.