SAN MARCOS, Texas -- A comeback in the third set helped propel Texas State to a four-set win over UTSA volleyball (17-25, 25-20, 21-25, 23-25), on Thursday night at Strahan Arena at the University Events Center.
UTSA (3-1) saw its winning streak to open the year snapped at three, its best since 2015. The Roadrunners fell in the first set before responded to take the second and earn a lead in the third. Texas State responded with wins in the final two sets to outlast the Roadrunners.
Kirby Smith, the Conference USA Co-Freshman of the Week, had 14 kills to pace the UTSA offense. Sophomore Hannah Froeschl had 11 kills, with Brianna McCulloch owning 11 kills. Senior Shelby Williams led the club with 22 digs and senior Amanda Gonzales had 48 assists.
Freshman Hannah Lopez returned to the lineup after missing the last two matches in West Point, N.Y., on opening weekend. Lopez, who had 13 kills in her collegiate debut, UTSA's season-opening, four-set win over San Francisco, finished with 12 kills.
Texas State (1-3) opened the year facing three top-35 opponents in Waco, Texas, before kicking off its home schedule with the Roadrunners.
After Texas State opened with the first two points, UTSA answered with its first points of the set. McCulloch's first swing brought the Roadrunners to within one. Smith cut the lead to four with her first swing, a monster kill that lodged into the face of a back row defender. The Bobcats then earned the next two points to force UTSA to take its first timeout of the set. Teal's second kill of the match allowed the Runners to cut the lead to 10-5 out of the break. Williams kept the Roadrunners within five with her first ace of the set, a right-handed jump serve that was painted inside the back line. Consecutive kills from Smith cut the TXST lead to 17-13 and Lopez kept the lead at four with her second kill. TXST then used three straight points to build a seven-point lead and hold on for a 25-17 win. UTSA hit .182 in the set with eight digs, 11 assists and a pair of blocks.
The Bobcats notched the first three points of the second set before McCulloch got the Roadrunners on the board with her third kill. Back-to-back kills from Smith and Froeschl, and an attack error after a service from Teal, saw UTSA even the set at 6-6. Froeschl then gave UTSA its first lead with her third kill. A block from Froeschl gave UTSA a 9-7 lead and after a kill from Lopez, Texas State used its first timeout. Lopez and McCulloch each extended the lead with a kill out of the break and a tandem block from McCulloch and Froeschl saw UTSA take a 13-8 lead on a 6-0 run. Texas State stopped the run with a kill from Tyeranee Scott but the Runners responded behind McCulloch to take a 14-8 lead. Teal gave UTSA a 16-10 lead with her third kill of the match. The Bobcats fought through a pair of blocks to cut the lead to 16-13 out of a UTSA timeout. UTSA was the first team to 20, taking a 20-16 lead after an attack error. Froeschl's fifth and sixth kills answered Bobcat points and gave UTSA a 23-19 lead. Smith and Teal teamed up on a block to give UTSA set point at 24-19. After a point from the Bobcats, Smith finished off the set win at 25-20 with her eighth kill.
In the third set, UTSA answered an opening TXST point with a run to take a 5-3 lead, including a kill from McCulloch. UTSA took a 7-6 lead after McCulloch's seventh kill of the match and stretched its lead to 11-7. UTSA used the ninth kill of the match from Lopez to take a 13-9 lead and force a TXST timeout. McCulloch gave UTSA a 17-12 lead after her eighth kill but two straight points forced a UTSA timeout. Teal stopped the run with her fourth kill, keeping UTSA up 19-16 and an attack error lifted the Roadrunners to a 20-16 advantage. A 5-0 run gave TXST the lead but a kill from Froeschl evened the set at 21-21. The Bobcats notched four straight to close out the set with a 25-21 win.
Lopez gave UTSA an early lead in the fourth set with her 10th kill and UTSA took a 3-0 lead before the Bobcats got on the board. A 3-0 run lifted the Bobcats to a 6-5 lead and forced the first timeout of the set from the Roadrunners. UTSA snapped the run with a kill from McCulloch. There was not quit in the Roadrunners, who fought back to even it at 10-10. After a UTSA lead, Texas State notched three straight to take a 13-11 lead before the Runners used a 3-0 run for a 14-13 lead. Even at 17-17, TXST spurted out on a 2-0 run to take a lead before Smith answered with her 12th termination and evened it up at 20-20 on a block from Teal. The Bobcats took three of the next two points before taking a timeout just shy of set point.
UTSA will return to action with a Friday doubleheader in San Marcos, facing Abilene Christian at 12 p.m. CT before wrapping up the Creeds and Crests Classic vs. UIW at 4:30 p.m. The Roadrunners and Bobcats will meet again on Sept. 11 in UTSA's home opener at the Convocation Center, with coverage available live on GoUTSA.com.
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