Texas State Takes Win Over CSU Bakersfield

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Texas State University volleyball team improved to 5-4 on the season with a four set win (3-1) over CSU Bakersfield in the opening match of the Portland-hosted North Habour Marriott Challenge.

The Bobcats led from start to finish in the first and fourth sets on their way to a second consecutive victory after defeating Sam Houston State their las time out.

Texas State recorded team advantages in kills, hitting percentage, digs and total blocks. Jordan Kohl led the way with 19 kills, a .432 hitting percentage and 2 blocks. Shelby Vas Matt put down 14 kills while hitting .241, and Jaliyah Bolden notched 13 kills at a .478 clip. Bolden also led the Bobcats with seven blocks.

Sydney Hayes led the Roadrunners in kills with 16, while Fabiana Andrade led her squad with a .400 hitting percentage.

Texas State hit .519 as a team in the opening set and received five kills each from Kohl and Bolden en route to a 25-19 set win. The Bobcats took the first point of the match and after a brief tie at 1-1, reeled off seven of the next ten points and never looked back.

The second set was a close affair, featuring a pair of late lead changes as Texas State overcame a 24-23 Roadrunner lead to take the set 28-26. With the set tied at 26, Lauren Kirch was assisted by Erin Hoppe to stage the set point and Kohl finished the set out with one of her team-high 19 kills.

The Bobcats led by as many as seven in the middle stages of the third set, but CSU Bakersfield went on a 10-3 run to knot the score at 18-all. The Roadrunners then scored three of the next four points and held on for the 25-21 set victory.

The final set was all Texas State as the Bobcats hit .483, while limiting CSU Bakersfield to -.038. Five Bobcats recorded multiple kills in the set, led by four from Bolden. She also recorded four of her seven blocks in the set. CSU Bakersfield was forced into using its first timeout after Texas State took an early 13-9 lead, and did not manage to bring the deficit within four points for the remainder of the set.

Texas State plays its second match of the tournament this Friday evening (Sept. 9) at 5 p.m. against the Utah Utes of the PAC-12 Conference.