The Teams: Tarleton State (14-13, 5-8 WAC) vs. California Baptist (14-10, 7-6 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Volleyball Gym
Time: Senior Recognitions- 12:51 p.m., Match time- 1 p.m. CT 
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
 
The Purple and White are set to see their final home match of the season Saturday at 1 p.m. against CBU. Prior to the match, Tarleton State will be recognizing six seniors beginning at 12:51 p.m. The Texans are heading into the match after a huge victory Thursday over the no. 2 team in conference, GCU. The Lancers are coming into the match after a loss to ACU on Thursday. 
 
Quick hits
 
• Tarleton State is eighth in conference going into the match. 
• Matti Theurer claimed the first WAC award for the Texans on Oct. 18, as she claimed the title of WAC Libero of the week after seeing two new season-highs against UTA.  
• In the most recent match for the Texans, Tarleton State took down the no. 2 team in conference, GCU, 3-1 for the first ever win over the Lopes in program history.  
• This will be the sixth meeting between the two teams. The overall record between the two teams is 5-1 in favor of California Baptist. The inaugural meeting took place on Feb. 1, 2021 when the Lancers hosted the Texans and took the match in three sets. The following day, the Purple and White fell in four sets. On Oct. 22, 2021, the two teams met again at a neutral site and the Lancers took yet another match in four sets. In the 2022 season, Tarleton State hosted CBU and won a four set battle to mark the first victory over California Baptist for the Texans. In the most recent match, CBU hosted the Purple and White and Tarleton State took one set to the Lancers three. 
• Junior Allison Bryant leads the team with 312 kills and 336.5 points. 
• Sophomore Emma Burke has compiled 34 aces for the Texans. She has also amassed 113.0 total blocks for the 2023 season.  
• Sophomore Megan Hodges leads the team with 640 assists on the season. She has also compiled 227 digs and 34 service aces in the 2023 campaign.
• Rajini Fitzmaurice is consistently a key player for Tarleton State. With an impressive new season high of 22 kills in the match against the Redhawks, Fitzmaurice has now seen 16 matches with 10+ kills for her overall total of 291 kills for the season. The Florida, native, has compiled 21 aces for the Texans. Fitzmaurice has totaled 199 digs and 332.5 points.  
• The Purple and White have compiled some impressive numbers with 1,347 kills, averaging 12.8 kills per set. The Texans have amassed 1,260 assists, 172 aces and 1,528 digs averaging 14.3 digs per set. The Tarleton State defense consists of 32 solo blocks, 333 block assists and198.5 total blocks.
 
 
Notables
 
Watch list
Allison Bryant joins the Purple and White as a transfer from Palm Beach State. The junior outside hitter has quickly made her mark as a member of the team as she leads the Texans in kills with a total of 312. Bryant's season-high comes from a five-set battle against the UIW Cardinals where she racked up 24 kills throughout the duration of the match. The Kelseyville, California, native, has compiled 10-plus kills in 18 out of 24 matches played for the Texans. She also leads the team with 336.5 points on the season.
In her second season with the Texans, Megan Hodges has quickly put up some impressive numbers. Leading the team with 640 assists, Hodges has made it clear she is here to compete. The setter is in second place for digs with 227 on the season.
Sophomore Emma Burke is a vital part of the Texan's defense. She leads the team and is ranked second in the WAC with 113.0 blocks. The middle blocker is fourth on the team with 205 kills. The returner is a consistent, key player for Tarleton. Burke has also contributed 34 aces for the Texans. 
Defensive specialist Matti Theurer has seen time in each set for the Texans so far this season. Leading the defense with 431 digs, the junior averages 4.03 digs per set. The libero has also amassed 22 aces on the season. 
Another notable returner is junior Grayson Schirpik. The outside hitter from Leander, Texas, is third on the team with 218 kills on the season, averaging 2.06 kills per set. Schirpik also ranks fourth on the team in points with 254.5. In the 2022 season, Schirpik was a vital power for the Purple and White.
Rajini Fitzmaurice has pulled some serious weight for the Texans in recent matches. Fitzmaurice sits in second for most kills on the team with 291 and season high of 22 kills in the match against Seattle U. The outside hitter is tied for third on the team in service aces with 21 on the season. Fitzmaurice is also in third for digs with 199 on the season, with a career high of 17 against UTSA.
WAC preseason poll
Tarleton was picked to finish 9th out of 11 in the Western Athletic Conference. With 28 points, the Texans were picked to follow up Southern Utah (34). Tarleton State will go to battle against Grand Canyon, who is projected to win the league, on Sept. 30 in Phoenix, Arizona. 
 
WAC awards
On Oct. 18, Matti Theurer claimed the first WAC award of the season for the Texans as she was named Libero of the Week. In the match against UTA, Theurer saw multiple new season-highs with four aces and four points tallied for the Purple and White. She compiled 39 digs in two matches and averaged 4.17 digs per set. She also contributed eight assists in two matches. 
 
 
Two-way player
Megan Hodges (S) currently leads the team in assists with 640 and assists per set with 5.98 on the season. Hodges is tied for second most digs with 227 and averages 2.12 digs per set. 
 
 
Second year stride
 In her second season as a Texan, Emma Burke has been a powerhouse player for the Purple and White. In the 2022 season, Burke saw time in 28 matches but the sophomore has surpassed her numbers from the previous season with 27 matches played for Tarleton State so far. The middle blocker has compiled 205 kills in comparison to her total of 126 in the previous season. Burke has 35 collegiate career aces, with 34 coming from the 2023 season. The Texas, native, has tallied 46 digs on the season to top her total of 14 in the 2022 season. Burke sits at an impressive 113.0 total blocks on the season so far to surpass her 67.0 total blocks in the previous season. She has also compiled 303.0 points on the season so far in comparison to her 167.0 total previously. 
 
New school, new numbers
With several newcomers putting on the Purple and White for the first time, the newest members of Tarleton Volleyball have seen impressive numbers to greatly contribute to the team's success. Rajini Fitzmaurice comes to Tarleton State from Liberty University. In her first season for the Texans, the outside hitter has quickly become a leading force for Tarleton State compiling 291 kills for the Texans to top her previous career high season at Liberty of 163 in 2019. Fitzmaurice has beat her previous career high of 18 aces in the 2019 season. The Lake Mary, Florida, native has tallied 21 aces in her first season at Tarleton State with four set conference matches remaining for the Purple and White. With a 332.5 point contribution to the team, Fitzmaurice has beaten her previous record in a season with 206.0 points in her first season at Liberty in 2019.