Maroon & Gold Weekly Wrap-Up: Bobcat Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country & 2020 Baseball Schedule

Maroon & Gold Weekly Wrap-Up:

Bobcat Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country
& 2020 Baseball Schedule

Bobcats Shutout Mountaineers 2-0

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State soccer team wrapped up the first half of Sun Belt Conference play with a 2-0 victory over Appalachian State Sunday afternoon at the Bobcat Soccer Complex.

With the win, the Bobcats improved to 6-5-2 on the season and 2-2-1 in conference play while the Mountaineers drop to 4-7-2 overall and 1-3-1 in the Sun Belt.

TXST put immediate pressure on the APP backline. A cross in from Bailey Peschel was knocked around in the middle of the box before being corralled by Jordan Kondikoff. The senior’s attempt was going in but cleared away from the line by a Mountaineer late in the second minute.

Almost midway through the fifth minute, another cross found its way to the center of the 18-yard box. An attempted clearance by an APP defender saw the ball end up in the back of the net for an own goal and 1-0 advantage for the Bobcats.

Just over four minutes later, Kaylee Davis had her first good look of the afternoon. The Allen, Texas native drove past multiple APP players before unleashing a shot from about 10 yards out that was knocked away for a corner kick.

Renny Moore placed a shot on goal late in the 11th minute towards the upper left corner off a free kick that was knocked away but not out of danger by the goalkeeper. Kondikoff’s follow-up attempt went slightly wide of the far post.

The Mountaineers first dangerous attempt on frame came early in the 18th minute off a corner kick. The ball was headed back across frame to Ava Dawson, who headed the ball on goal. Heather Martin’s quick reactions kept it out of the net and was cleared away by Gabie Jones.

Each team took two more shots in the period with none being on goal as TXST took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

During the 53rd minute, Solano battled and won a loose ball. She sent a pass to Davis, who in turn found Moore at the top of the penalty box. Moore took one touch to the right before smacking her shot into the left corner to increase the lead to 2-0.

The assist for Davis gave her 65 career points in a maroon and gold uniform and ties her for fourth in program history with Jaynee Sherman (2001-04).

Davis placed another strong shot on the frame 10 minutes later. The keeper made a leaping save at the near post to keep the Mountaineers’ deficit at two goals.

APP’s Mary Perkins ripped off a shot in the 86th minute from the near side of the box. Martin made a diving stop on the curling attempt to maintain the shutout.

Texas State outshot the visitors 11-7 with a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal. Davis led all players with four shot attempts while both she and Moore placed to shots on frame apiece. Also taking multiple shots for the Bobcats was Kondikoff with three.

Martin needed to record only two saves to post her fourth shutout of the season and 19th in her career. The Midlothian, Texas native moved past Brittany Beltramini (2003-06) into second place on the program’s career list with 249 saves. Martin also became just the second goalkeeper in TXST history to play at least 5,000 minute between the posts, joining Kristen Tutt (1999-02).

Next up for the Bobcats is a home match with Louisiana on Friday at 7 p.m.

Box Score: https://txstatebobcats.com/boxscore.aspx?path=wsoc&id=6880
Post Match Interview (Kat Conner): https://youtu.be/_IQ4ZCwk7GM
Post Match Interview (Jordan Kondikoff & Renny Moore): https://youtu.be/wPGrgXd-CPI

Bobcats roll in fifth sweep of the 2019 campaign

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Texas State volleyball team (11-7, 3-1 Sun Belt) salvaged the weekend with a split after taking care of Little Rock (2-14, 0-4 Sun Belt) in straight sets (25-8, 25-12, 25-18) Saturday night at the Jack Stephens Center.

“Definitely a different level of play tonight for us,” said head coach Karen Chisum. “Little Rock has had several key injuries, but it was good that we played at a high level and did not let up. I was able to get some non-starters in there in the third set and I was pleased with their performances. It was great to get them some experience.”

The Bobcats were clicking on all cylinders and never trailed in the match. Offensively, they finished the night with a .337 clip with 37 kills on 83 swings and nine errors, and recorded 10 aces, marking the third time this season the team has logged 10 or more in a match. On the defensive side, the Bobcats had 40 digs, seven blocks and held the Trojans to a .075 attacking percentage. Little Rock is the first opponent this season to finish a match vs. Texas State with no aces. The Bobcats improve to 10-5 in the all-time series and extend their win streak to six vs. Little Rock.

Texas State was led by a pair of outside hitters in sophomore Janell Fitzgerald and freshman Lauren Teske who each collected eight kills. Fitzgerald had an efficient night with a .471 clip and had 17 errorless swings, while Teske added three blocks. Senior outside Cheyenne Huskey had six kills and led the team with four aces and four blocks in two sets. Sophomore Emily DeWalt turned in her fourth straight double-double performance with a team-best 29 assists and 11 digs, while adding a pair of aces.

LR’s senior middle hitter Carol Barbosa led all players with 12 kills and sophomore outside Laura Jansen followed with six. Sophomore setter Nathalia Vigineski and freshman setter Alyssa Nayar split 20 assists evenly, freshmen middle blockers Madison Nichols and Annelise Samson led the team with two blocks each, and senior libero Diana Giordani had a match-high 12 digs in the loss.

Set 1
Texas State got to work early with a 6-2 lead and kept their foot on the gas. They led by as many as 12 points at 18-6 before Little Rock called their final timeout of the set. The Bobcats continued to grow their lead  and coasted to a 25-8 victory hitting .357 in the frame behind 11 kills on 28 attacks and just one error. They also registered three blocks and held the Trojans to a -.121 hitting percentage.

Set 2
Another fast start saw the Bobcats leading the Trojans 12-5 by the first break in action and moments later the visiting team found themselves up double-digits at 16-6. Little Rock got as close as eight points at 19-11, but a 4-0 run highlighted by three consecutive aces from Huskey brought the count to 23-11. The Bobcats won the second set 25-12.

Set 3
The Maroon and Gold got off to another quick start and held a 7-0 lead to begin the final stanza of the night. Little Rock fought tough and put together an 8-3 run, including a 5-0 burst to trim the deficit to 15-12 and forced Texas State to use its first timeout of the night. Texas State immediately responded by outscoring LR 5-1 capped off by back-to-back aces from sophomore DS Kaylie Koenen to take a 20-13 lead. The Bobcats went on to win the set 25-18.

Texas State heads back to the Lone Star State and will have a mid-week showdown vs. UT Arlington at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Bobcats roll in fifth sweep of the 2019 campaign

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Texas State volleyball team (11-7, 3-1 Sun Belt) salvaged the weekend with a split after taking care of Little Rock (2-14, 0-4 Sun Belt) in straight sets (25-8, 25-12, 25-18) Saturday night at the Jack Stephens Center.

“Definitely a different level of play tonight for us,” said head coach Karen Chisum. “Little Rock has had several key injuries, but it was good that we played at a high level and did not let up. I was able to get some non-starters in there in the third set and I was pleased with their performances. It was great to get them some experience.”

The Bobcats were clicking on all cylinders and never trailed in the match. Offensively, they finished the night with a .337 clip with 37 kills on 83 swings and nine errors, and recorded 10 aces, marking the third time this season the team has logged 10 or more in a match. On the defensive side, the Bobcats had 40 digs, seven blocks and held the Trojans to a .075 attacking percentage. Little Rock is the first opponent this season to finish a match vs. Texas State with no aces. The Bobcats improve to 10-5 in the all-time series and extend their win streak to six vs. Little Rock.

Texas State was led by a pair of outside hitters in sophomore Janell Fitzgerald and freshman Lauren Teske who each collected eight kills. Fitzgerald had an efficient night with a .471 clip and had 17 errorless swings, while Teske added three blocks. Senior outside Cheyenne Huskey had six kills and led the team with four aces and four blocks in two sets. Sophomore Emily DeWalt turned in her fourth straight double-double performance with a team-best 29 assists and 11 digs, while adding a pair of aces.

LR’s senior middle hitter Carol Barbosa led all players with 12 kills and sophomore outside Laura Jansen followed with six. Sophomore setter Nathalia Vigineski and freshman setter Alyssa Nayar split 20 assists evenly, freshmen middle blockers Madison Nichols and Annelise Samson led the team with two blocks each, and senior libero Diana Giordani had a match-high 12 digs in the loss.

Set 1
Texas State got to work early with a 6-2 lead and kept their foot on the gas. They led by as many as 12 points at 18-6 before Little Rock called their final timeout of the set. The Bobcats continued to grow their lead  and coasted to a 25-8 victory hitting .357 in the frame behind 11 kills on 28 attacks and just one error. They also registered three blocks and held the Trojans to a -.121 hitting percentage.

Set 2
Another fast start saw the Bobcats leading the Trojans 12-5 by the first break in action and moments later the visiting team found themselves up double-digits at 16-6. Little Rock got as close as eight points at 19-11, but a 4-0 run highlighted by three consecutive aces from Huskey brought the count to 23-11. The Bobcats won the second set 25-12.

Set 3
The Maroon and Gold got off to another quick start and held a 7-0 lead to begin the final stanza of the night. Little Rock fought tough and put together an 8-3 run, including a 5-0 burst to trim the deficit to 15-12 and forced Texas State to use its first timeout of the night. Texas State immediately responded by outscoring LR 5-1 capped off by back-to-back aces from sophomore DS Kaylie Koenen to take a 20-13 lead. The Bobcats went on to win the set 25-18.

Texas State heads back to the Lone Star State and will have a mid-week showdown vs. UT Arlington at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Offense Comes Alive in 5-0 Victory at ULM

MONROE, La. – The offense came alive for the Texas State soccer team in a 5-0 win at ULM Friday night at Brown Stadium. The five goals are the most for the Bobcats in a match since Aug. 30, 2013 against Prairie View A&M and most in a conference contest since netting seven against Central Arkansas on Nov. 2, 2008.

With the win, TXST improved to 5-5-2 on the season and 1-2-1 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Warhawks drop to 3-7-2 overall and 0-4-0 in conference play.

The first opportunity for TXST came in the third minute from Kaylee Davis. She drove down the left side past multiple defenders and cranked a shot off from about eight yards out. The senior’s attempt was knocked away by the goalkeeper for a corner kick.

Late in the fifth minute, Mackenzie Smith won a loose ball that was originally sent downfield by Gabie Jones. Smith passed to Davis near the top of the 18-yard box, where she took a touch and smacked the ball into the upper left corner for the early advantage. The goal also snapped the Bobcats’ 562:38 minute scoreless streak.

In the 17th minute, Hannah Solano battled a defender down the far side. The sophomore eventually got enough separation to send in a cross. Jordan Kondikoff was there to flick the ball into the lower right corner to increase the advantage to 2-0. It was the first goal of the season for Kondikoff and Solano’s first career assist.

A corner kick was sent in from the far side by Renny Moore during the 30th minute. A penalty kick awarded to the Bobcats after a foul by ULM. Kondikoff stepped up and sent the spot kick just out of the reach of the keeper for her second goal of the night and make it a 3-0 contest.

Early in the 38th minute, a short ULM goal kick saw the defender get pressured by Madison Humphrey. The freshman was able to poke the ball away and beat the Warhawk player to the loose ball. A low shot by Humphrey ended up in the bottom right corner for her first collegiate goal and increased the lead to 4-0.

The fifth and final goal of the match came late in the in the 56th minute. Solano beat a defender to the ball down the near side, cut inside and sent in a cross that found Davis at the back post. The Allen, Texas native headed the ball down and across the goal line for her second tally of the match.

For Davis, the goal was the 30th of her career in a Bobcat uniform. She became the fourth player in program history to reach the mark and is now tied for third on the career list with Lynsey Curry (2012-15).

Solano’s two-assist match is tied for the third most in a match in TXST history. The last Bobcat to reach the mark was Genesis Turman last season at Troy (Oct. 14).

Texas State ended the match leading 19-7 in shots, 10-4 in shots on goal and 10-1 in corner kicks.

Davis led all players with six shots and four shots on goal in just 38 minutes on the pitch. Humphrey set a career-high with five shot attempts and Solano matched her career best of two shots. Also taking multiple shots was Kondikoff with three, tying her season high.

Heather Martin made four saves on the night with three coming in the second half. The senior now has 247 career saves, tying her with Brittany Beltramini (2003-06) for second in program history. It was also Martin’s 30th career win to become only the second player in Bobcat history to reach the mark, joining Kristen Tutt (38).

Next up for TXST is a home match against Appalachian State on Sunday with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m.

Box Score: https://txstatebobcats.com/boxscore.aspx?id=6878&path=wsoc

Bobcats comeback falls short vs. Arkansas State

JONESBORO, Ark. – An electrifying comeback fell short for the Texas State volleyball team (10-7, 2-1) as they suffered its first setback in conference play to Arkansas State (10-5, 1-2) in five sets (23-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-21, 6-15) Friday night at the First National Bank Arena.

“Proud of the fight we had after being down 0-2, but Arkansas State wanted it more than we did,” said head coach Karen Chisum. “They were very scrappy and dug the lights out. They deserved to win the match tonight.”

After being down 0-2 in the match, the Bobcats battled back by winning the third set convincingly and took the fourth set by four points to force a fifth set. The Red Wolves dominated from there though as they picked up their first win in conference play in what served as their conference home opener. Arkansas State leads the head-to-head series vs. Texas State 10-9 and the Bobcats are 1-4 in their last five matches at First National Bank Arena.

The Bobcats had 12 total blocks, marking the third time this season they totaled 10 or more, and had eight aces compared to the Red Wolves four. Arkansas State held the edge however in digs 88-77, with 88 digs being the highest total of any Texas state opponent this season. The Red Wolves also held a narrow advantage in kills (55-50), hitting percentage (.157-.139) and assists (48-45).

Senior outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey led the Bobcats with 15 kills and registered seven digs, five blocks and was one of four Bobcats who finished with two aces. Sophomore outside Janell Fitzgerald finished with 12 kills, three digs, and a solo block, and junior middle blocker Tyeranee Scott landed 11 kills and five blocks. Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt turned in her third consecutive double-double with 39 assists and 14 digs, and also had two blocks and two aces. Sophomore middle Jillian Slaughter paced the team with six blocks and had five kills on the night, junior libero Brooke Johnson had a team-high 18 digs and two aces, and sophomore defensive specialist Kayla Granado had a career-high 16 digs. Senior DS Micah Dinwiddie was the final Bobcat to conclude the match with two aces.

A-State’s sophomore outside hitter Macey Putt was the only player on the team to finish with double-digit kills (18) and had 16 digs to secure a double-double. Junior outside Peyton Uhlenhake and sophomore middle blocker Timber Terrell each logged nine kills. Uhlenhake had 15 digs and two aces and Terrell recorded a team-high five blocks in the win. Sophomore setter Julianna Cramer also had a double-double with 19 assists and 10 digs, while freshman setter Malgorzata Andersohn finished with 18 assists. Sophomore DS Hannah Cox had a match-high 29 digs.

Set 1
Texas State and Arkansas State battled in the first set that saw 11 ties and seven lead changes. The Bobcats jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but the Red Wolves responded with a 5-1 run, gaining the upper hand 6-5. TXST’s freshman outside hitter Courtney Heiser later registered back-to-back kills to give Texas State a 16-15 advantage, but the Red Wolves punched back again with four unanswered points to regain the lead 19-16.  The pattern would repeat as the Maroon and Gold took a late 22-21 lead, but they could not hold it as the home team ended the set on a 4-1 run and won 25-23.

Set 2
A-State had the momentum and sprinted to a 5-1 lead to open the frame. The Bobcats trimmed the deficit to 11-9, but the Red Wolves built the lead back to 17-11, forcing the visiting team to burn their second timeout of the set. Albeit Arkansas State led by as many as seven points, Texas State continued to chip away and found themselves down 22-21. However, the Red Wolves closed the set with two kills and an ace to win the stanza 25-22 and take a 2-0 match lead.

Set 3
The Bobcats made the Red Wolves use an early timeout after Huskey and Scott teamed up for a block to put Texas State ahead 4-1. The Red Wolves endured the early run and took an 8-7 lead highlighted by a 3-0 run, but it was short-lived as Huskey’s kill sparked a 3-0 burst for the Bobcats and they took a 13-10 advantage that forced A-State to take their second timeout of the frame. TXST would go into cruise control from there as they went on to win the frame 25-16, escaping the sweep.

Set 4
Like the previous set, the Bobcats made the Red Wolves take an early timeout after building a 6-2 lead, but the home team responded with a run of their own to take the advantage at 8-7. A few plays later, Huskey and Scott had another party at the net to get the lead back 11-10 and would hold it for the remainder of the set. With the score knotted at 16, the Bobcats snatched the momentum with consecutive kills from Huskey and Heiser, and a double block from Huskey and Slaughter, bringing the score to 19-16 and pressuring the Red Wolves into their final timeout. Arkansas State continued to fight back and closed the gap 23-21, but a service error by A-State and an ace from Huskey ended the set 25-21 to bring on a fifth and final set.

Set 5
After three ties brought the count to 3-3, the Red Wolves scored three unanswered points to take a 6-3 lead to force a Bobcat timeout. The Bobcats and Red Wolves switch sides with the home team leading 8-4 and TXST had to use its final timeout down 10-4. The Bobcats were unable to stop the hemorrhaging, however, and fell 15-6 in the final set.

The Bobcats have a quick turnaround as they matchup vs. Little Rock at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Jack Stephens Center. Little Rock was swept in its conference home opener tonight vs. UT Arlington.

TXST XC visits Arkansas for annual Chili Pepper Festival

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The season progresses as the Texas State cross country teams set out to compete at the 31st annual Chili Pepper Festival hosted by the University of Arkansas at Argi Park in Fayetteville, Ark. The men will compete in the 8k race at 9 a.m. and the women’s 6k will start at 10:40 a.m.

Both teams are coming off hot starts at the UIW Opener Sept. 30 where the men won the 6k event with 38 points and the women placed fourth in the 4k with 94 points.

At the UIW Opener, a pair of transfers from Tarleton State in junior Justin Botello and senior Johen Deleon led the Bobcat men with a third and fourth-place finish, respectively. Botello crossed the finish line at 18.43.5 and Deleon stopped the clock at 18.43.6. Junior Tina Sierra paced the Bobcat women by finishing sixth with a time of 15:39.6. Classmate Sydney Cole was next for the Maroon and Gold as her time of 15:53.5 placed 15th.

2020 Midweek Baseball Games Released

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The midweek games of the 2020 Texas State baseball schedule were released on Friday. The Bobcats will have 13 midweek contests with seven of them being played at Bobcat Ballpark.

The first midweek game will see TXST make a trip down to Houston to face Houston Baptist on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. It will be the Bobcats first trip to the Space City to face Huskies since 1992.

A week later Texas State hosts Rice in the first game of a home-and-home with the Owls. The Bobcats make the return trip to Houston on Apr. 1. Last season saw the Bobcats sweep the season series for the first time since 1988.

TXST makes a trip northward to take on Baylor on Mar. 3. Four of the last five games in Waco have ended in favor of the Bobcats, including the last meeting in 2018 by a score of 6-1.

This season will see Texas State host two of the three games against I-35 rival UTSA. The first contest of the year takes place on Mar. 10 in Bobcat Ballpark. A trip to San Antonio is scheduled for eight days later and the rubber match being held on Apr. 28 in San Marcos.

On Mar. 11, the Bobcats will welcome Prairie View A&M to town. It will be the first meeting between the programs in three years.

The biggest midweek home game of the season takes place on Mar. 24 against Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. that night.

Apr. 7 sees Incarnate Word come to town for the lone meeting of the season. A week later, the Bobcats face Texas A&M on the road and are aiming to win back-to-back games in College Station for the first-time ever.

The final midweek contest of the year takes place on May 5 when TXST faces off at home against UT Rio Grande Valley.

The non-conference and Sun Belt Conference series will be released next week.

2020 Schedule: https://txstatebobcats.com/schedule.aspx?path=baseball

Soccer Receives 10th Consecutive United
Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award

Feature photo

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the 10th consecutive year, the Texas State soccer team was recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as a Team Academic Award Winner for its exemplary performance in the classroom as a team during the 2018-19 academic year.

United Soccer Coaches annually celebrates the academic achievements of college soccer teams whose student-athletes collectively demonstrate a commitment to excellence in their studies over the course of a full school year. The award is given to programs with a composite grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale for all players on the roster.

TXST was one of 644 women’s collegiate soccer teams earn the Team Academic Award for the 2018-19 academic year.

Among all women’s programs in the nation, the Bobcats tied for the seventh highest GPA at 3.74. They also sported the highest GPA of all programs from the state of Texas and tied for the fourth best among Division I teams.

Highlighting last year’s team was Kaylee Davis and Heather Martin. Davis was selected to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Third Team, becoming the first player in program history to be named to one of the teams. The Allen, Texas native was also picked as the 2019 Texas State Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. Martin became the third player in TXST history to be honored as a CoSIDA Academic All-American with her selection to the second team.

The duo were also elected to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-West Region team. Davis was a first team selection, joining former teammate Kassi Hormuth as the only Bobcats to receive the honor, and Martin was a third team honoree.

For the 2018-19 academic year, 10 Bobcats recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA in both the fall and spring semesters. Eight others posted a 4.0 GPA in either semester as well.

2018-19 College Team Academic Award Winners: https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/awards/college-awards/2018-19-college-team-academic-award-winners/?_zs=uo63K1&_zl=An5M5

All-Time College Women Team Award Recipients: https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/awards/college-awards/all-time-college-women-team-academic-award-recipients/?_zs=uo63K1&_zl=Cn5M5

Soccer Receives 10th Consecutive United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the 10th consecutive year, the Texas State soccer team was recognized by the United Soccer Coaches as a Team Academic Award Winner for its exemplary performance in the classroom as a team during the 2018-19 academic year.

United Soccer Coaches annually celebrates the academic achievements of college soccer teams whose student-athletes collectively demonstrate a commitment to excellence in their studies over the course of a full school year. The award is given to programs with a composite grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale for all players on the roster.

TXST was one of 644 women’s collegiate soccer teams earn the Team Academic Award for the 2018-19 academic year.

Among all women’s programs in the nation, the Bobcats tied for the seventh-highest GPA at 3.74. They also sported the highest GPA of all programs from the state of Texas and tied for the fourth-best among Division I teams.

Highlighting last year’s team was Kaylee Davis and Heather Martin. Davis was selected to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Third Team, becoming the first player in program history to be named to one of the teams.

The Allen, Texas native was also picked as the 2019 Texas State Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Martin became the third player in TXST history to be honored as a CoSIDA Academic All-American with her selection to the second team.

The duo were also elected to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-West Region team. Davis was a first-team selection, joining former teammate Kassi Hormuth as the only Bobcats to receive the honor, and Martin was a third-team honoree.

For the 2018-19 academic year, 10 Bobcats recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA in both the fall and spring semesters. Eight others posted a 4.0 GPA in either semester as well.

Weekend Matches with Mountaineers and Warhawks

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Two matches are on tap this weekend for the Texas State soccer team (4-5-1, 0-2-1 Sun Belt). First up is a trip to ULM (3-6-2, 0-3-0 Sun Belt) on Friday at Brown Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff followed by a contest against Appalachian State (4-5-2, 1-1-1 Sun Belt) at the Bobcat Soccer Complex on Sunday at noon.

Live stats will be available for both matches while a video stream will only be available for Friday’s contest. Sunday’s contest will also be broadcast on KTSW 89.9 FM.

Last Weekend
The Bobcats picked up their first points in Sun Belt Conference play with a scoreless draw a Little Rock Friday night. The defense held the Trojans to just four shots with the first coming in the 70th minute. Sunday afternoon saw TXST fall 1-0 at Arkansas State with the lone goal coming on a penalty kick in the first half.

Senior CLASS Award
The 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award was released on Monday with both Davis and Martin being on the list. They are the first players in program history to be named candidates for the award. The duo are part of four players from a Lone Star State program on the list.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School^®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

Scouting ULM
The Warhawks dropped both matches last weekend on the road in Alabama. They fell 3-0 last Friday to South Alabama and followed with a 7-1 drubbing at Troy Sunday afternoon. ULM opened conference play with a 3-1 loss at Arkansas State. The three wins this season have come against Northwestern State, Southern and Southern Miss. When playing at home this season, the Warhawks are 2-2-0.

Taylor Altieri and Melissa Taft lead the team with three goals apiece while Altieri has taken a team-high 15 shots. Both Camryn Ciaramella and Khyjian Thomas have netted two goals each.

Rian Kasner has made seven appearances between the posts. She enters Friday with a 2.28 GAA with 16 goals surrendered while sporting a .709 save percentage with 39 saves. Angel Hailey has played in five matches and has given up 11 goals for a 2.49 GAA and made 26 saves with a .703 save percentage.

All-Time vs. Warhawks
Texas State leads the all-time series 13-6-1 over ULM. The Bobcats have won the last two meetings and are undefeated in the last four. Last season, TXST won 4-0 at home in the Sun Belt opener and 3rd Annual Teal Match. Davis scored twice that day and both Mackenzie Smith and Genesis Turman netted a goal apiece.

When playing in Monroe, Louisiana, Texas State is 6-3-0 all-time. The last time the Bobcats played in the Pelican State was a 3-0 victory on Oct. 13, 2017.

The last win for the Warhawks in the series was a 2-1 contest in San Marcos on Oct. 17, 2014, while their last win at home was Oct. 20, 2013 also by a 2-1 score that went to a second overtime period.

Scouting Appalachian State
The Mountaineers fell 1-0 at Coastal Carolina and bounced back with a 2-1 victory at home over Georgia Southern last weekend. They began conference action with a 1-1 draw against Troy. When playing on the road this season, APP is 0-5-0 and will play at Louisiana on Friday before facing Texas State.

Ava Dawson paces the Mountaineers with four goals, 10 points, 20 shots and 12 shots on goal. Netting two goals apiece has been Hayley Boyles, Tess Cairney, Mary Perkins and Abbey Rand. Credited with a team-high five assists is Kristin Brown, while Emma McGibany and Dawson have two assists each.

Kerry Eagleston has stated all 11 matches between the posts. She has a 1.34 GAA having given up 15 goals and sports a .769 save percentage with 50 saves.

All-Time vs. Mountaineers
Texas State is up 3-1-1 in the all-time series with Appalachian State. The Bobcats have won two straight and are undefeated in the last three meetings. Last season, TXST won 1-0 in Boone with Turman knocking home the lone tally late in the 70-minute.

When facing the Mountaineers at home, Texas State is 2-0-0 all-time. The last meeting at the Bobcat Soccer Complex came on Oct. 1, 2017. That day saw the Bobcats win 4-0 behind two goals from Davis and one apiece by Rachel Grout and Alyssa Phelan.

The only win in the series for APP took place on Oct. 4, 2015, in Boone with a 5-0 ending. The lone draw was a 1-1 contest on Sept. 23, 2016, that also was contested in the mountains of North Carolina.

Huskey picks up Sun Belt weekly award

NEW ORLEANS – For the second consecutive week, the Texas State volleyball team was recognized by the league’s front office as senior outside hitter Cheyenne Huskey was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week announced Monday afternoon.

Huskey paced the Bobcat offense with 4.00 kills per set in three total matches and 5.00 kills per set in the 2-0 start of Sun Belt action. Huskey put together her first 20-plus kill performance vs. Louisiana, finishing with 21 kills, 11 digs, and two aces. The Columbus, Texas, native then followed with a match-high 14 kills in the sweep vs. ULM. This is Huskey’s second offensive accolade after being honored Sept. 17, 2018.

After opening the week with a loss at No. 2 Baylor, Texas State bounced back with a four-set victory over Louisiana and a sweep against ULM.

Next up for Texas State is a trip to Arkansas. The Bobcats will face Arkansas State at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 4 in Jonesboro and will challenge Little Rock at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 5 in Little Rock.

Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week
Cheyenne Huskey, Sr., OH, Texas State

Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week
Emma Reilly, Jr., L/DS, Appalachian State

Sun Belt Setter of the Week
Amara Anderson, So., S, Troy

Sun Belt Freshman of the Week
Sam Bickley, Fr., S, Appalachian State

Soccer Falls to Red Wolves 1-0

JONESBORO, Ark. – The Texas State soccer team fell 1-0 at Arkansas State Sunday afternoon at the A-State Soccer Complex to close out the weekend trip to the Natural State.

The Bobcats drop to 4-5-2 on the season and 0-2-1 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Red Wolves are now 7-3-0 overall and 3-0-0 in conference play.

Three of the first four shots of the match were by TXST players. Attempts from Kaylee Davis, Jessica Pikoff and Mackenzie Smith all just missed the frame.

In the 28th minute, an ASU player sent in a cross that cleared the heads of all the players in the middle of the box and rolled towards the far end of the 18-yard box. Jordan Kondikoff toe-poked the ball back to Gabie Jones to clear out of the box after the Red Wolves’ Abby Harris overran the ball. Harris cut back and was off balance as she was grazed by Kondikoff’s foot following the senior poking the ball and blatantly flopped in the box, drawing the ref’s whistle for a penalty kick. The ensuing spot kick was converted by Dana O’Boye for the lone goal of the match.

The first great opportunity for Texas State came in the 64th minute when Madison Humphrey sent in a low cross from the right side. The ball found Kiara Gonzales just outside the six-yard box towards the left post but her attempt sailed over the crossbar.

Kaylee Davis put the first shot on goal for the Bobcats during the 69th minute off a counterattack. Her attempt to the lower right corner was stopped by the diving goalkeeper.

Midway through the 75th minute, Madison Humphrey beat a defender to a ball in the box. Right as the freshman attempted her shot, the Red Wolf defender through her right forearm into the freshman causing an off-balance shot and knocker her to the ground, but no whistle was blown that would have awarded a penalty kick.

ASU had two chances to put the match out of reach starting with just under 11 minutes on the clock. Sophia Restrepo headed a second chance attempt off a corner kick towards goal but Martin leapt and pushed the ball just over the bar. With nearly three minutes to play, a through ball gave the Red Wolves’ Sarah Sodoma a breakaway attempt that a charging Martin denied keeping it a one-score contest.

Of TXST’s nine shots, two each came from Davis and Pikoff.

Martin made four saves, three of them coming in the second half, between the posts.

Box Score: https://txstatebobcats.com/boxscore.aspx?id=6878&path=wsoc

Offense powers Texas State past ULM

SAN MARCOS, Texas – A season-high .440 hitting percentage led the Texas State volleyball team to its third sweep in the last five matches as they dominated ULM (25-13, 25-17, 25-19 Sunday afternoon at Strahan Arena. The Bobcats move to 10-6 on the year and take first place in the west division of the Sun Belt Conference after a 2-0 opening weekend.

“Anytime you hit a .440 you are going to win,” said head coach Karen Chisum. “We passed very well, and our hitters were smart. To get to 2-0 is big right now. We lead the west side of the division and now we go on the road with high confidence. Our preseason schedule was really tough and although there were games we were not good; these kids are ready to face whoever we put out in front of them now.”

The Bobcats controlled the match as they trailed just two times and outplayed the Warhawks (9-7, 0-2) by registering more kills (48-32), assists (43-28), aces (7-3), digs (40-31), and a slight 5-4 advantage in blocks. TXST also kept ULM’s offense in check as they failed to have one player record double-digit kills.

Texas State has now swept six of seven conference-opening weekends since joining the Sun Belt in 2013 and extends a number of streaks that includes a 24-0 home record vs. ULM, 14 consecutive wins vs. ULM in the all-time series, and five-straight victories at home in the 2019 season. The Bobcats improve to 45-2 all-time in head-to-head matches vs. the Warhawks.

Senior O1 Cheyenne Huskey continued her weekend dominance as she landed a match-high 14 kills on 30 attacks with just one error (.433). Huskey finished with eight digs, one ace and one block. Sophomore Janell Fitzgerald completed the 1-2 punch with 10 kills and a .389 clip, and also had one block. Sophomore setter Emily DeWalt turned in her second double-double of the weekend by collecting 41 assists and a match-high 10 digs to go along with three kills, one ace, and one block. Junior Tyeranee Scott led the team with three blocks including one solo block to end the match, and also put up nine kills. Other contributors for the Maroon and Gold were sophomore DS Kayla Granado who led all players with four aces, and senior DS Micah Dinwiddie who also had eight digs.

Senior outside hitter Mikaela Worley led ULM with eight kills, followed by junior outside Ina Gosen who had seven kills, one ace and one block in the loss. Freshman setter Darby Fisher and sophomore setter McKinley Thiede had 14 and 12, assists, respectively, and both finished with one ace. Sophomore Kate Blasingame had 10 digs and two blocks but was held at bay offensively as she finished with a .-043 attacking percentage and four kills. Junior middle blocker Alix Christie led the team with three blocks.

Set 1
The Bobcats clicked on all cylinders offensively as they ended the frame with a .471 hitting percentage with 17 kills on 34 swings and one error. Texas State opened the set with a 7-2 lead that grew 17-8 to force ULM to burn its second timeout. The Bobcats continued to roll and built a margin as large as 13 (22-9) and ultimately cruised to a 25-13 win.

Set 2
Texas State had a 10-4 advantage, but ULM battled back and went into the media timeout down 15-12. Following the break, the Bobcats scored three of the next four points to pressure the Warhawks into a timeout, but the home team proceeded to outscore their opponent 7-4 and win the stanza 25-13. TXST hit .483 in the set and recorded an 82-percent sideout rate.

Set 3
The third set saw 10 ties but no lead changes as ULM went into the media timeout with a 15-13 lead in hand. Freshman outside hitter Courtney Heiser turned in her seventh kill of the night that sparked a Bobcat 6-0 run, including an Omaha strike from Huskey to give the home team a lead that they would not relinquish again. Texas State won the set 25-19 to seal the match.

The Bobcats move forward in conference play and will travel to Arkansas next weekend for a 6:30 p.m. match vs. Arkansas State (Oct. 4) at First National Bank Arena in Jonesboro, followed by a 6:30 p.m. match vs. Little Rock (Oct. 5) at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.