Homecoming weekend started with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-13, 24-26, 25-21) victory on the court for the Bobcats over Little Rock.
Through two sets, the Bobcats were well in control. Other than a 1-0 Little Rock start on the first point of the match, the maroon and gold did not allow a Trojan lead in the first two frames. Their persistence when the offense had some struggles kept the ball alive, and often it eventually led to a Trojan error. Little Rock finished with 37 kills and 37 attack errors for a .000 hitting percentage.
A big reason why Texas State prevented the ball from hitting the floor was coverage from senior setter Emily DeWalt. On a pivotal sequence in the fourth set, she skied with graduate transfer middle blocker Jada Gardner to impede a Trojan attack, and got a touch on the ball. In mid-air, on the way down, she tracked the ball over her shoulder and, immediately after contacting the floor, darted to the location the dug ball would land. Even at whiplash speed, she delivered a feather-light set to senior outside hitter Janell Fitzgerald, who buried a loud kill. DeWalt finished the game with four kills, 41 assists and 14 digs. Head coach Sean Huiet verbalized the impact she has on the team.
