Bryant Breaks D1 Era Tarleton Kills Record as Texans Fall to McNeese

LAKE CHARLES, LA - Tarleton State Volleyball fell victim to a late rally by McNeese on Tuesday afternoon, dropping 3-2 at the Legacy Center.
The Texans (1-8) closed their nine-match road trip to open the season with the defeat by the Cowgirls (4-5), 28-26, 25-22, 25-27, 18-25, 14-16. The Texans will head back to Stephenville to play four matches on Thursday-Saturday, where they will host the Tarleton State Invitational.
led the team in kills with 27. She set a new career high as well as a new D1 era record. This is Bryant's first game of 20-plus kills this season and her sixth performance with double-digit kills throughout the first nine games of the season. Bryant also notched her first double-double of the season (27 kills, 13 digs).
recorded 25 digs, tying her career-high from 2021. Halcomb led the WAC in digs per set heading into the match. Her 25-dig performance marks her eighth double-digit total through nine games. Additionally, she set the single-match high for digs throughout the WAC, breaking her teammate previous record of 23.

Tarleton now has two players atop the leaderboard in digs and rank first overall in the WAC team standings. Halcomb and Goss will be looking to continue their stellar defensive efforts this weekend at the Tarleton State Invitational.

The Texans had two players with 20-plus assists. (24) led the team, followed closely by (23). Ansquer shattered her previous career-high of nine assists which she set against Northern Arizona on Sept. 14. She also recorded her first double-double of her collegiate career (24 assists, 11 digs). Her 11 digs also broke her previous career-high of nine.
In first set, the Texans and Cowgirls were tied at 19. The two teams exchanged blows until the Cowgirls had set point, 25-24. A back-to-back kill and block sequence from gave the momentum to the Texans, leading them to win the first frame, 28-26.

McNeese led 22-20 in the second stanza. Tarleton used a 5-0 run behind consecutive kills from Bryant as well as two aces from Ansquer.

The third frame was a toss-up with neither team able to build a big lead. The Texans led 25-24, match point. However, the Cowgirls responded with a 3-0 run and took the frame, 27-25.

The Cowgirls ran away with the fourth set, and both teams were tied 2-2 heading into the final frame. Tarleton led 13-9 in the fifth set, trying to close out the win. McNeese responded with a 5-0 run that included two service aces, taking advantage of the final set which they eventually won 16-14.

Tarleton will head back to Stephenville on Thursday where they will play Oral Roberts at 7 p.m. CT. The Texans will host the Tarleton State Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Texans will play Alcorn State and Houston Christian on Friday before ending the weekend against Louisiana Monroe on Saturday.