Bobcats record upset sweep over Chanticleers in Conway
CONWAY, S.C. – The Texas State volleyball team earned a 3-0 sweep (27-25, 25-21, 25-20) over Coastal Carolina in a Sun Belt Conference match Sunday afternoon inside HTC Center.
The Bobcats improved to 11-7 overall and 3-1 in league play. The Chanticleers, the defending league champions who were picked to repeat this year, suffered their first sweep as members of the SBC and just their second loss overall since joining the league. This was also their first league home sweep since Oct. 29, 2011 (Presbyterian College), when they were members of the Big South Conference.
Three Bobcats registered double-digit kills, led by 12 each from senior Jaliyah Bolden and sophomore Amy Pflughaupt. Classmate Megan Porter added 11 kills, while senior Erin Hoppe distributed a match-high 35 assists and sophomore Micah Dinwiddie tallied 15 digs.
The first set went into extras, with the Bobcats securing the frame 27-25 on their third game point. The sides played to 10 draws with four lead changes, and neither team led by more than three at any point in the period. The Chanticleers appeared ready to draw first blood after pulling ahead 20-17, but a 4-0 run brought the maroon and gold back into the fold. With the score even at 25-25, Texas State stole the frame with a kill from true freshman Tyeranee Scott followed by an ace from Dinwiddie.
Texas State went on top two games to none after closing out the second 25-21. The Bobcats used an early 6-0 run to move ahead 11-6, and they later surged to a 19-11 advantage. The Chanticleers would not go down without a fight, however, as they climbed back to within three at 21-18. The visitors were able to claim four of the final seven points to fend off any further comeback attempt.
The 2-0 lead marked the first time Coastal Carolina dropped the opening two sets in a league match since Nov. 3, 2013 against Winthrop.
The Bobcats were able to complete the sweep after winning the third 25-20. They initially went ahead 12-8 and kept CCU reeling. The visitors took a 19-14 lead that eventually led to the five-point triumph.
No Chanticleer had double-digit kills, with reigning SBC Player of the Year Leah Hardeman leading the home team with just seven kills on a -.054 hitting percentage (9 errors, 37 attacks). Kate Federico had 12 assists, and Sara Boothe posted 10 assists. Sydney Alvis (15) and Hardeman (10) finished with double-digit digs.
TXST led the way in kills (44-24), attack percentage (.157-.065), assists (41-24), aces (8-3), and digs (51-39). The Chanticleers were held to a season-low hitting percentage and had more blocks (11-5).
Texas State will continue its four-match road swing with a 6:30 p.m. bout Oct. 6 at Little Rock. The maroon and gold will then face Arkansas State at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 7.
TEXAS STATE COACH KAREN CHISUM
Opening Statement
"I don't even know if we need an airplane to get home after these last two matches. I'm just proud of the team. Their performance today was by far one of the best we've had lately. You might not be able to see it offensively in the stats, but defensively as a team we were great. Micah (Dinwiddie), Mattie (Adams) and the rest of our back row made a big difference today. The team followed our game plan perfectly. We knew (Coastal Carolina was) going to key on Madison (Daigle) and Amy (Pflughaupt). They took Madison out of the match, but we had three hitters performing at all times. I also have to say hats off to Tyeranee (Scott). She did a nice job in the middle. That was major for us. We all know that may not have been Coastal's best. Normally when they lose a set, they step it up and go to the next level. They didn't get that opportunity today. Erin Hoppe had her best match as a Bobcat. She did a great job."
On handing the Chanticleers their first home sweep since 2011 and their second SBC loss ever…
"(Coastal Carolina) has very good athletes. They didn't put it together today, but part of that is what we were able to do. I'm giving all the credit to the Bobcats."
On the momentum heading into two matches in Arkansas…
"I told the team after the match that we had a great win today, but now everybody (in the league) is going to be gunning for us. We just have to keep moving forward. Both matches next week are going to be challenging. Little Rock is better than they've been in the last couple years, and Arkansas State is always good. What's fun about this conference is everybody is always competitive. All year long we are going to have to play some of our best ball. We didn't against South Alabama, and you saw what happened."
Mavs Roll Over App. State In Three
BOONE, N.C. -- Behind the 10th double-double of the year from Qiana Canete, UTA volleyball concluded its first road weekend in league play with a three-set sweep at Appalachian State (25-20, 25-15, 25-15) on Sunday afternoon at the Holmes Convocation Center.
UTA (8-9, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference) used a season-high .391 (43-for-92) attacking percentage as a team to roll Appalachian State (6-12, 1-3 Sun Belt) in three sets. The Mavs controlled the match throughout, allowing just five runs from the Mountaineers of multiple points, with four coming as 2-0 stretches.
The Mavs fought off the Mountaineers in a five-point win in the first before scoring 50 of the final 80 points in the match to sweep. UTA hit .424 in the first set and used the momentum from a 3-0 run to finish off the game to cruise through the final two sets.
LEADING THE MAVS
Canete, a native of Copperas Cove, Texas, notched her 10th double-double of the year with 14 kills and 12 digs. Junior Zhanelle Geathers fought off a sluggish start with a powerful finish, recording 10 kills on 21 swings. Freshman Tessa Harfield was 6-for-6 on her first six swings of the match and had seven kills in nine attempts.
The Mavs got a match-best 34 assists from freshman setter Kailyn Gilbreath, with the Fort Worth native adding three kills in five swings with seven digs. Sophomore Kylie Jedlicka had six kills and four digs, with sophomore Madison McConnell charting three kills. Libero Libbie Vickers had a team-leading 16 digs with senior Ashlynn Ford owning seven digs.
NEXT
The Mavs continue a five-match road swing on Friday at Arkansas State at 6:30 p.m. CT, before traveling to face Little Rock on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
SET ONE
After trading the first points of the game, UTA used a 4-0 run to take a 5-2 lead, getting terminations from Harfield and Jedlicka to build an early lead. McConnell's kill gave UTA a 7-4 lead with Canete spurring a 2-0 run with a kill for a 9-5 lead. Appalachian State then went on its longest run of the match with a 4-0 stretch with UTA Coach J.T. Wenger using his only timeout of the day with the game evened at 10-10. UTA answered single points from App. State with three 2-0 runs, getting kills from Jedlicka, Gilbreath and Canete to take a 17-15 lead. A 3-0 run – including a kill from Harfield and an ace from Canete – gave UTA a 21-17 lead, but the Mountaineers answered with its final run of the set, cutting it to 21-19. After App. State cut it to 22-20, Jedlicka and back-to-back kills from Geathers saw UTA finish off the win with a 3-0 run. UTA hit .424 (16-for-33) in the first set, with Canete and Jedlicka earning five kills each as UTA was five for its first 12 attacks.
SET TWO
Behind Harfield's sixth kill in as many swings, UTA evened up the set early at 2-2 and after falling behind by a point, Geathers sparked a 4-0 run with a pair of kills. Gilbreath and Canete each earned kills as they led separate 3-0 runs and Harfield and Geathers terminated kills as the Mavs stretched their lead to 18-9 with a 4-0 run. Leading 21-14, UTA scored four of the final six points behind an ace from McConnell and kills from Gilbreath and Canete, with Harfield finishing of the set with a kill for a 25-15 win.
SET THREE
UTA opened it up early with a 5-0 run behind kills from Harfield, Canete and Geathers, taking a 6-1 lead. UTA used a 4-0 run, with a kill from McConnell and an ace from Vickers, to take a 10-2 lead. The Mavs cruised for the remained of the set, with three 2-0 runs and a 4-0 stretch to finish off a 25-15 win, with Geathers powering the third-set heroics.
Red Wolves Volleyball Sweeps ULM
MONROE, La. (10/1/17) – The Arkansas State volleyball team picked up its first road SBC victory of the season with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-15) sweep of ULM Sunday afternoon at Fant Ewing Coliseum in Monroe, La.
The Red Wolves (9-8, 2-2 SBC) were led by a season-high .455 attacking percentage, while Carlisa May led the squad with 12 kills on a season-best .474 hitting percentage. Timber Terrell added eight kills on an A-State season-high .727 hitting percentage and Drew Jones also talled eight kills. Ellie Watkins dished out 33 assists and Jessica Uke led the team with four blocks.
“This was a team effort today,” A-State head volleyball coach David Rehr said. “We were a little sluggish to begin, but once we got it rolling we were very solid all facets of the game. I’m proud of the way we responded after a tough match Friday night.”
A-State jumped out to an 18-11 edge in set one to force a ULM (4-16, 0-4 SBC) timeout and led 22-14 after a kill by Jones. The Red Wolves went on to win the set 25-17 after an attack error. Set two was tied 8-8 early on and the Warhawks led 12-11 before a 5-0 run, capped on block by Watkins and Uke, put A-State on top 16-12. Arkansas State went in front 19-14 and closed the set on a 6-2 run, finished on a kill by Kenzie Fields, to win the set 25-16.
The Red Wolves ran out to a 12-3 advantage in set three and built an 18-10 edge to force the Warhawks’ second timeout of the set. However, the visitors were able to close the frame on a 7-5 run, capped on another Fields’ kill, to claim a 25-15 set three victory and sweep over ULM.
Mikaela Worley led ULM with eight kills, while Kacey LeBlanc posted nine digs for the home team.
Arkansas State returns to action Friday, Oct. 6 in a home matchup against UT Arlington. First serve from the Convocation Center is set for 6:30 p.m. and the match will be first of three consecutive broadcast by ESPN3.
Fans can follow the team on Twitter (@AStateVB) and Instagram (astatevb) along with liking the Arkansas State University Volleyball page on Facebook for the latest news and updates regarding the team.