STEPHENVILLE, Texas - On the final day of the Texan Invitational, the Texans won their first game of the day against the Lions of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Tarleton returned to the court for the final game of the tournament where the Texans fell just short to Incarnate Word in five sets. 
 
Tarleton 3 UAPB 0
 
In the first match of the day for Tarleton, the Purple and White went head-to-head with the Lions of UAPB. The Texans took set one 25-15. In the second set Tarleton once again held the Lions to 15 or less points winning the set 25-14. In the third and final set of the match the home team defense held strong with UAPB only scoring a set low 13 points. 
 
Allison Bryant tallied 11 kills in match one along with 13 points. Bryant has now compiled 10-plus kills in her first three matches as a Texan. Following closely behind Bryant, Grayson Schirpik racked up nine kills and achieved a hitting percentage of .500 for the match. Schirpik also led the team in points for the match with 13.5. 
 
Sophomore Megan Hodges totaled 19 assists for match one. Kenzie Kellerman took the court for Tarleton and quickly added nine digs to her name. 
 
In set one the Texans raced out to an 8-1 lead and never looked back. Off a kill from Schirpik midway through the set, Tarleton increased the lead to nine going up 15-6. The first set of the day was secured from a service error by Camille Johnson of UAPB.
 
With no let off the gas pedal coming into set two the home team scored five unanswered to start before winning the set 25-14.
 
In a back and forth start to set three, the Texans and Lions traded points the first six serves making it 3-3. The Purple and White then went on to score seven points before UAPB tallied another point making it 10-4. The Texans then outscored the visitors from Arkansas 15-9 to close out the set and notch the first win of the 2023 campaign for Tarleton.
 
Incarnate Word 3 Tarleton 2
 
Members of Texan Nation filled Wisdom Gym on Saturday night, for what ended up being a heartbreaking loss for the Texans after dropping set five 22-20. 
 
In the fourth meeting with the Cardinals of Incarnate Word since 2021, the Texans came up just short in a heart pounding fifth set that had everyone on their feet. 
 
Tarleton State came out firing in set one of the match, winning 25-19. In the following two sets the Texans saw offensive struggles losing the sets 25-15 and 25-16. In set four the Texans battled back, taking the set 25-23 and forcing a fifth set. In a back-and-forth final set for the Texans, the Cardinals responded, taking the set 22-20.
 
The nightcap saw the Purple and White leading the Cardinals from San Antonio in kills, assists, and digs. The Black and Red's final two points in the fifth set became the difference as the Cardinals finished the night beating the Texans in the points category 82-80.
 
Tarleton State was once again led in kills by juniors Bryant and Schirpik earning 24 and 19 kills respectively. 
 
Hodges led the team in assists with her season-high of 37. This is the second time this season Hodges has achieved 30-plus assist, her other from in the season-opener vs. Prairie View A&M.
 
The Texan libero, Isabel Gonzaba, collected 16 digs in the match, but not far behind her was Hodges with 13.
 
In an evenly matched first set the Purple and White got out to a 2-0 lead before UIW tied it up at two. From there it was a back-and-forth battle between the two with the Texans largest lead of five coming off a kill by Bryant to make it 20-15. The Texans sealed the first set with a kill by Madison Frank from Gonzaba.
 
The following two sets were controlled by the visitors from San Antonio, taking sets two and three 25-15 and 25-16.
 
In a fourth set bounce back for Tarleton, the Texans jumped out to a 3-0 lead before UIW got on the board making it 3-1. 
 
Set five was opened in the same manner, with the Texans scoring two straight before the Cardinals would tie it up 2-2. From there it was a hard-fought battle for both teams down the stretch as the largest lead (5) of the set was help by the home team. An attack error from the Texans and a kill from the Cardinals ended a nail-biting fifth set.
 
The Texans will return to action on Friday, Sept. 1 as they take part in the Road Runner Classic hosted by UTSA.