By: by KSU Sports Information
DENTON, Texas - Keyaira Stevenson had 14 kills as the Kennesaw State volleyball team fought off seven match points before falling to Texas State, 3-0 (25-13, 25-19, 29-27), in the fourth match of the Mean Green Volleyball Classic.
"We can't afford to continue to get off to the starts that we have been having as of late," said KSU head coach Karen Weatherington. "We showed a lot of fight and resolve in the third set against a very talented Texas State team, but we need to start playing with that same resolve earlier in the match."
The Owls struggled in the serve reception game in the first set, as Texas State (8-5) kept KSU out of system. The Bobcats hit at a blistering .650 clip en route to the 25-13 win in the opening frame.
While the Owls connected at a .324 percentage in the second set, the Owls were undone by five Texas State service aces. Stevenson had 10 kills through the second set, but the Owls still found themselves in a, 2-0, hole following the 25-19 victory in the set for the Bobcats.
The Owls showed grit and determination in the third set. Trailing 13-7, the Owls rallied back with five straight points thanks to two Emily Bean kills and three TSU attack errors to pull within a point. Still, the Owls couldn't get closer, as soon Texas State had match point, 24-20. KSU mounted a furious rally, with Justine Young starting the action with a kill to bring the Owls within three. After a TSU attack error, the Owls scrambled to pull within a point. Stevenson was forced to try and attack the ball over the net from a flat-footed position. The ball danced just over the tape of the net and fell down to the TSU side, giving Stevenson a kill and giving the Owls a one-point deficit to overcome.
TSU called a timeout and had a play set up to try and win. The Owls read the play perfectly, as Young and Holly Knight blocked Amari Deardorff's kill straight down to knot the set, 24-24. TSU took the next point, but the Owls caught a break with a service error to tie the set again. A kill by TSU gave the Bobcats another match point, but a slide for a kill by Knight tied the set, 26-26.
Texas State earned its 27th point with a kill. Again, the Owls answered as Stevenson earned her 14th and final kill of the match. That would prove to be the final point the Owls earned on the afternoon. Consecutive kills by the Bobcats gave Texas State the win in the set, 29-27, and in the match, 3-0.
Bean was second on the KSU squad with nine kills, with Young earning six. The Owls had 5.0 blocks as a team, with Knight earning a team-best four.
The Owls will be back in action against North Texas in the finale of the tournament. First serve is scheduled for 8 p.m., with live audio available at 7:45 p.m.
