Home Sweet Home

By Marvin Parker Jr.
Sports Reporter

The Bobcat volleyball team took advantage of the Delta Zeta Classic this past weekend going 3-1 at Strahan Coliseum. After a rough weekend in the SMU/TCU Crosstown Challenge the previous weekend, playing at home couldn’t have sounded better.

It all started Thursday night with an electrifying five set victory against UTSA. In front of a 2,500+ crowd, UTSA fell for the first time this year while Texas State earned their first W improving to 1-3. The Bobcats and Roadrunners traded sets all the way through and ended in the fifth 16-14 in favor of Texas State. Junior outside hitter, Kelsey Weynand led the way with 19 kills and 20 digs, her first double-double of the season.

In such an enduring game, it takes a team effort to make this all happen. Standout sophomore Jordan Kohl and redshirt sophomore transfer Jaliyah Bolden combined for 25 kills. Weynand, Kohl and Bolden’s 44 of 63 Bobcat kills put them +12 in that category. High energy and a lot of excitement surrounded this team in their debut and it carried into the Prairie View A&M matchup the next day.

A sweep that went the Bobcat’s way for the first time this season at the hands of Prairie View A&M happened in historic fashion. Jordan Kohl went 9 for 10, which breaks Amy Weigie’s hit percentage record of .737 that until then, had stood since 2006. This game lasted only around a rough two hours, and allowed good bench time for players like Ally Standard.

The second game of the day vs Lamar was a little challenging, but still managed 3-0. Lamar made the game a little closer than Prairie View did earlier that day only losing by 19 total points to Prairie View’s 46. This win also put the Bobcats at .500 on the season, with an even 3-3 record at this point. After a choppy first set, the second set seemed like a fresh start after recording 17 kills and only allowing three errors. The preseason “Mauler Tests” served justice in this matchup as the Bobcats seemed more conditioned. Hustle and heart played evident against the Cardinals as dead balls throughout the night were saved, which ended up being the difference in winning and losing the individual sets.

Indiana came to play in the final game during the Delta Zeta Classic and they ruined the show giving the Bobcats their first home loss of the year 2-3. Unlike the back and forth set exchanges with UTSA, Indiana came out hot winning the first two sets putting Texas State against the wall. If nothing else, response in adversity proved strong in this one Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats came back to win the next two sets, forcing a fifth. The Hoosiers didn’t allow that last one to get away as they took the fifth set 15-10.

Overall, the play from Strahan Coliseum was as the Bobcats expected and needed. From 0-3 on the road, to 3-1 at home, home truly is where the heart is. Texas State volleyball can be seen next vs Oregon Tuesday September 8^th at 6:30 from Strahan Coliseum.