University of Houston
Texas State
Volleyball Wins Five-Set Thriller Over Texas State
10/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 7, 2008
Texas State Box Score in PDF Format 
HOUSTON - The University of Houston volleyball team won a five-set thriller over Texas State Tuesday night at the Athletics/Alumni Center. The Cougars won with scores of 25-23, 23-25, 24-26, 25-10 and 15-12.
Houston (10-7, 2-2 C-USA) finished 8-5 this season in non-conference match-ups and improve to 24-3 all-time against Texas State.
Sophomore Lucy Charuk recorded a match-high 21 kills on a .500 hitting percentage with eight block assists and two digs. The Tswwassen, British Columbia native tied a career-high with her 21 kills.
Senior Justine Farmer added 19 kills and 14 digs for her fifth double-double this season. Senior Kelsey King also had a game-high 49 assists.
Freshman Nataliya Panova started the match for the Cougars with a kill on the first play. She would finish the game with five kills and 15 digs.
Sophomore Amanda Carson served her 31 ace of the season to put the Cougars up 5-3 in the first set and UH followed that up with a 5-1 run, forcing a Bobcat timeout. Out of the break, Texas State would battle back and tie the score 18-18 but it wouldn't last long as Houston scored two points on a Texas State service error and attack error, regaining the lead 20-18 and prompting another Texas State timeout.
Out of the break it looked as though Houston would get the win opening with a 3-1 run to move ahead 23-19 but the Bobcats once again chipped away at the lead pulling within two, 23-21, prompting a quick timeout from the Cougar bench. UH was one point away from the win, 24-21, before two quick points by Texas State brought them within a point for the tie and forcing another timeout from head coach Bill Walton. The Cougars secured the win out of the break on a kill from junior Kinsey Cave.
In the second set, Texas State jumped out to a 5-4 lead. They would increase their lead by as many as five at 11-6 before Houston called a timeout. The Cougars came off the bench to score two quick points before the Bobcats extended their lead by four, 13-9. Houston battled back within one, 13-12 but couldn't hold the momentum as Texas State pulled ahead by four, 16-12.
Looking to change the momentum, Houston called its second timeout, but out of the break Texas State tied its largest lead of the set, 17-12. The matched looked as though it would go to the Bobcats but late in the set Houston tied it at 23-23. With the momentum now with the Cougar bench, Texas State called its first timeout. Texas State would hold on for the 25-23 win to tie the match at one game apiece.
Neither team could mount any sizeable lead in the third set as there were 16 tie scores and five lead changes in the match. The Bobcats would take the set's largest lead, 17-14. Both teams would continue to battle back and forth before Texas State would take the 26-24 lead to move ahead in the match.
After tying the fourth set, 4-4, Houston went on a 21-6 to cap the set and earn the 25-10 win. Farmer led all players with six kills in the set. She was just one shy of tying the Bobcats team total of seven kills in the set.
Houston played from behind early in the fifth set. Trailing 9-5, the Cougar bench called a timeout and gained the momentum out of the break. UH went on a 6-0 run to take the lead, highlighted by three-straight kills from Farmer. The Bobcats were not about to go away easily scoring three straight points, pulling within one 13-12. But the Cougars ended the game on two straight points for the win.
UP NEXT
Houston will be back on the road this weekend for two Conference USA matches on Oct. 10 and Oct. 12. The Cougars will face East Carolina at 6pm on Friday and Marshall at noon on Sunday.
