Top Seed Texas State Heads to Semifinals
NACOGDOCHES, Texas ? Regular-season champion and top seed Texas State held off a hard-hitting Northwestern State team, 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 23-25, 21-25) to advance to the Southland Volleyball Tournament semifinals.
Sophomore setter AJ Watlington led the attack for Texas State recording a season-high 18 kills. Her fourth double-digit kill total this season. First team all-conference selections, junior outside hitter Jessica Weynand, and senior middle blocker Amy Weigle, posted 14 and 12 kills respectively. Weynand led Texas State in kills during the regular-season (342) posted her 20th match of 10 or more kills.
Winning their first set against Texas State this season, No. 8 seed Northwestern State was led by junior outside hitter Yelena Enwere. A second team all-conference selection, Enwere nailed down 19 kills to lead the Lady Demons. Enwere fell just one kill shy of adding to her league-leading 20-plus kill match total of five. She has posted double-digit kills in 20 of Northwestern State’s 27 matches this season.
Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Deering and junior outside hitter Markie Robichau knocked down 12 and 10 kills respectively.
Texas State coach Karen Chisum won her 27th match in Southland tournament play, ranking second all-time.
Texas State advances to the semifinals and will face the winner match four between No. 4 seed and tournament host Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 5 seed Sam Houston State. Match time is scheduled to begin Saturday at 4 p.m. The winner will advance to the tournament title match on Sunday at 2 p.m.