SAN MARCOS – Earlier than l made historical past Thursday towards Utah State, it bought a talking-to from a determine who is aware of a number of issues about writing data.
Coach Sean Huiet mentioned that his predecessor Karen Chisolm, who led the Bobcats for 40 years earlier than retiring in 2019, shocked them within the locker room throughout the week. Huiet didn't know she'd be there. However the legend's speech lit a fireplace beneath him and Texas State, as "solely she will be able to do."
"At one level, she was like, 'You get to go at school historical past, and get the . You will be at school historical past,'" Huiet mentioned.
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Chisolm's phrases struck a chord with the roster. The Bobcats went on to turn into the primary of the Texas State athletic packages to win a e recreation, defeating the Aggies 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-23).
Issues didn't begin nice. After two consecutive five-set losses, Texas State got here out of the gate sluggish, heading right into a timeout down 14-7 within the first set. The Aggies' serves disrupted the Bobcats' move of assault, whereas setter Anna Blaine and her hitters weren't fairly syncing up.
However volleyball is a recreation of momentum. Factors cumulate rapidly, and the Bobcats rattled off a 13-5 run out of the break to take a 20-19 lead. The Aggies wavered, dropped the primary set and by no means recovered. Huiet mentioned that if Texas State misplaced that opening set, he's undecided how the remainder of the sport would've gone.
"Our highs have been excessive, and our lows have been low. We've been making an attempt to even that out a bit of bit," Huiet mentioned. "I believe that set the tone."
A championship mindset
Texas State exterior hitter Brooke Bentke was her traditional spectacular self, recording 15 kills on 30 assaults and 9 digs. Fellow exterior hitter Peyton McKee had the next-most kills, with 10, however the Missouri State switch's relentless power stood out much more than her ferocious assaults.
Practically each time McKee's assault led to a Texas State level, she'd look totally beside herself. Pumping her fist, screaming, hugging her teammate, doing an ideal rendition of the worm, the sophomore introduced a stage of pleasure to the court docket that stored the Bobcats rolling even when issues weren't going completely.
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Throughout Texas State's reverse sweep over UT-Arlington earlier within the season, McKee mentioned she observed the impact her optimism had on the staff. She's taken that mindset to each recreation since.
"I may not all the time be on with my kills or my hits, however I can all the time convey one thing to the desk," McKee mentioned.
Texas State athletics has been constant in its messaging that it's not blissful simply being within the Pac-12. The Bobcats' requirements have risen; they’re aiming for championships throughout all sports activities.
They had been picked to complete third in a nine-team convention that would present some stable midmajor volleyball. Colorado State, polled because the first-place staff, made the NCAA Match in 2024 and was a postseason mainstay from 2000-19. Washington State had an NCAA streak that lasted practically a decade, ending in 2023.
For Texas State, Thursday was only one match. However in sweeping Utah State on Thursday, the Bobcats took step one in making its lofty targets in a brand new convention a actuality.
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This text initially revealed at e.