SAN ANTONIO - Fifth-seeded Texas State rallied from a 2-1 deficit and handed No. 4 UTSA a season-ending five-game loss on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Southland Conference Tournament (30-28, 28-30, 25-30, 30-19, 15-9). All three matches between the I-35 rivals went the distance this season. The Roadrunners finished the 2006 campaign at 19-13, while the Bobcats improved to 15-16 with the victory.
Texas State scored the final four points of game one to rally from a 28-26 deficit and UTSA pulled off the same trick one frame later. After the Roadrunners collected a 30-25 victory following intermission, it was beginning to look as if UTSA would move on to the second round.
However, the Bobcats scored 13 of the final 15 points of game four to post a 30-19 victory. Texas State carried that momentum into the fifth and deciding game, trailing only after the Roadrunners got on the board first. The Bobcats scored the final six points en route to the victory.
Senior Meagan Daniel led the Roadrunners with 17 kills, while senior Brittany Hildebrand and sophomore Victoria Prior added 14 apiece. Senior Connie Picard, who was named first-team All-SLC on Thursday, chipped in with 13 winners and finished her final campaign with a UTSA-record .354 hitting percentage. Senior DeeDee Strickland, who entered the match needing 79 assists to break the school's career record, fell just short with 46 helpers.
Defensively, senior Erin McMillan ended her storied final season with her fifth consecutive 30-dig performance (33) and 11th such effort of the year. She finished her illustrious career with 2,279 digs, a total that ranks among the top 10 in NCAA history.
Picard led UTSA at the net with eight block assists.
No. 2 Texas-Arlington (24-9) and No. 3 McNeese State 15-13 will meet in tomorrow's first semifinal at 2 p.m. That match will be followed by top seed Stephen F. Austin (28-3) and Texas State at 5 p.m.