STEPHENVILLE, Texas - Tarleton State Volleyball earned a statement victory Thursday night inside Wisdom Gym, taking down WAC-leading Utah Valley in a thrilling match. The Texans battled through high-intensity set and handed the Wolverines their second conference loss and defend their home court in front of an energized home crowd.
Madison Rice-Locket led the Texans at the net with 15 kills while also steadying the back row with 11 digs, totaling her sixth double-double of the season. LaNeah Lara and Madison Frank rounded out the Texans attack with 11 kills each. Alyssa Dinh led the Texans' defense at the net with nine blocks, as well as contributing 6 kills.
Megan Hodges set the Texan offense up well and led the match with 28 assists and totaling 12 digs, recording her ninth double-double of the season. Teya Nguyen distributed the ball well with 17 assists to round out the Texans' setting efforts and keep the Texans attack steady. Libero, Morgan Carter, held down the back row with 15 digs, while also contributing five assists. Leddy Rae Guinn also totaled 11 digs to stabilize the Texans' defense and limit Utah Valley's offensive rhythm throughout the match.
Tarleton State came out firing in the opening set, establishing early momentum with a solo block from Rice-Locket and a pair of Utah Valley attack errors to jump ahead 3–0. Setter Megan Hodges directed the offense efficiently, assisting Rice-Locket on a powerful kill to extend the lead. Lara and Frank found their rhythm at the net, connecting on back-to-back kills to keep the Texans in front 7–3. Carter made her presence known behind the service line with an ace and several key digs that helped the Texans maintain control. Emma Burke and Dinh each added kills midway through the frame, and Tarleton State's defense at the net, anchored by Burke and Breannah Peterson, forced multiple attack errors that pushed the lead to 10–4 and later 13–7. After a Utah Valley run trimmed the lead, Hodges continued to spread the ball around, finding Burke and Dinh for kills that kept the Texans on top. Carter's defensive coverage and passing allowed for clean offensive transitions, while Guinn added energy off the bench with several key digs to extend rallies. Down the stretch, Rice-Locket came up big once again, dropping in a service ace to regain the lead at 25–24 and set up a chance to close out the set. Madison Frank followed with a clutch kill off a Hodges assist to give Tarleton State another set point opportunity. Despite their push, the Texans couldn't hold off a late surge, narrowly falling 27–25.
Tarleton State looked sharp to open the second set, jumping out to a 3–0 start behind a Utah Valley service error, a block from Alyssa Dinh, and strong serving from Victoria Fontenot. Setter Hodges continued to run a balanced offense, finding Frank for an early kill to keep the momentum going. Lara followed with a kill from the outside to give Tarleton State a 5–2 advantage. Burke kept the pressure on from the service line, recording an ace and adding a kill shortly after to stretch the Texans' lead to 8–5. Midway through the set, Tarleton State's defense began to shine. Burke, Peterson, and Dinh combined for key blocks that slowed Utah Valley's attack, while Carter continued to dig up tough swings to keep rallies alive. Hodges and Nguyen each distributed the ball well, with Nguyen connecting on quick sets to Burke and Dinh to help the Texans stay within striking distance. Guinn provided energy off the bench once again, steadying the back row and helping Tarleton State maintain rhythm during long exchanges. Although Utah Valley mounted a run to pull ahead late in the set, the Texans responded with strong play at the net. Peterson and Dinh teamed up for a block to cut the deficit, and Rice-Locket followed with a solo block that brought the Texans within four. Hodges and Rice-Locket paired for another block moments later, showing the Texans' defensive presence at the net. Frank capped the set for the Texans attack with a powerful kill off a precise Hodges assist, but the Texans couldn't overcome the early deficit as Utah Valley took the frame 25–18. Despite the setback, Tarleton State strong front-row play and balanced setting kept them competitive heading into the third set.
Tarleton State opened the third set strong with Hodges setting up Rice-Locket for back-to-back kills, giving the Texans a 2–0 lead. Dinh added a solo block to make it 3–0, and Carter followed with a service ace to extend the advantage to 6–2. Hodges continued distributing effectively, assisting Lara and Frank on kills to push Tarleton State ahead 9–6. Midway through the set, The Texans kept the offense balanced. Rice-Locket recorded a kill off her own serve, and Frank converted Hodges' sets into points. Burke added a service ace, while Hodges continued feeding Lara, Frank, and Rice-Locket for multiple kills. Peterson came off the bench and recorded a kill after a Nguyen set. Late in the set, Rice-Locket delivered a service ace and a kill, while Frank added another kill off Hodges' set. Lara recorded a kill to keep Tarleton State close, and Burke and Dinh anchored the defense with digs and blocks, allowing Hodges to continue running the offense. Despite a tightly contested frame, Tarleton State held strong down the stretch, with late kills from Peterson and Frank securing the set 25–18 and keeping them in the match.
Tarleton State opened the fourth set by responding immediately after an early Utah Valley ace with Frank delivering a kill off a Hodges set. As the set progressed, Tarleton State made key substitutions, bringing in Peterson and Nguyen off the bench, who made an immediate impact with Nguyen scoring a service ace and helping set up a kill for Rice-Locket. Peterson added a kill assisted by Nguyen, continuing to facilitate the Texan's attack with sets that led to additional kills from Rice-Locket. Burke contributed a critical service ace, while Hodges' consistent setting allowed Frank, Rice-Lockett, and Lara to continue scoring at pivotal moment. Rice-Locket remained a dominant presence, notching multiple kills, including those assisted by Nguyen and Hodges, maintaining pressure on Utah Valley and forcing errors. The Texans' front-row play and coordination were highlighted by block assists and smart attack choices from Dinh, Frank, and Rice-Locket, keeping each point competitive. Tarleton State ultimately closed out the set with a series of decisive plays, Dinh and Frank delivered a set-point block, and Lara finished the set with a kill assisted by Hodges, securing a hard-fought 25–23 victory, pushing for a fifth and final set.
Tarleton State came out determined in the decisive fifth set, opening with a strong serve from Megan Hodges that forced a bad set on Utah Valley to grab the first point. Despite a few early attack errors, the Texans quickly regained momentum with kills from Rice-Locket and LaNeah Lara to stay within striking distance. Carter delivered a clutch service ace to bring Tarleton State back into rhythm, followed by powerful kills from Frank and Rice-Locket that kept the pressure on the Wolverines. Lara stepped up defensively with a solo block that tied the set, and the Texans began to pull away after key contributions from Peterson and Dinh at the net, including a block assist that extended their lead. Burke added an ace of her own to build on the momentum, and Dinh sealed a critical point with a solo block to push Tarleton State to match point. After a late push from Utah Valley, Rice-Locket delivered the final kill off a perfect set from Hodges to close out the set 15-12, securing the match for Tarleton State in clutch fashion.
The Texans will return to Wisdom Gym on Saturday at 1 PM to take on Abilene Christian for their last home appearance. The Texans will honor seniors, Victoria Fontenot, Morgan Carter, Megan Hodges, and Emma Burke for the Senior/Alumni game.
