SAN MARCOS, TX (WBTW) – On Sunday, the Coastal Carolina volleyball team fell 3-1 (24-26, 25-23, 21-25, 19-25) to Texas State in the finals of the 2019 Sun Volleyball Championship at Strahan Arena at Texas State University.

With the Bobcats ahead 24-17 in the first set, the Chants put doubt into their opponents’ minds as they reeled off seven- consecutive points to tie the score at 24-24. Junior outside hitter Kyla Manning led the charge with three of her six first-set kills.

Coastal was unable to sustain their own momentum, as the Bobcats would win the final two points for the 26-24 set one-win.

Both teams hit well-below .200 during the first set. The Chants were held to a .165 hitting percentage in the first set while 2019 Sun Belt Player of the Year, Anett Nemeth was held to a .000 hitting percentage (3-of-17) with three errors.

In set two, CCU jumped out to a 10-7 lead as redshirt senior Mariia Levanova connected with three kills. After a Texas State timeout, the Bobcats were able to win the next three points  with kills by Cheyenne Huskey and Janell Fitzgerald to even the score 10-10.

After Texas State would briefly tie the score, Coastal Carolina ran away with set two in tune to 25-19. The Chanticleers scored their last 15 points with the help of six offensive errors by the Bobcats and  got kills from Manning (3) and Levanova (2).

Coastal came out of the five-minute break to take a 12-10 lead as Nemeth had five kills the first 22 points in set three but that would be the last time the Chanticleers would have the lead during the set because the duo of Cheyenne Huskey and Emily DeWalt combined for five kills and a block.

In the set 25-19 set three-loss, Nemeth led all hitters with 10 kills and five digs but was forced into four errors.

Neither squad was able to find their offensive rhythm in the fourth set as the Bobcats held Nemeth to just two kills and a -.286 hitting percentage. As a team, Texas State held Coastal to a hitting percentage of .032 while allowing just four kills. On the other hand, the Bobcats’ Huskey led all hitters with a .357 hitting percentage as the Bobcats went onto win 25-19.

Coastal Carolina hit well below their season average as they ended the day at .220 (53-of-141) on 22 errors.

It was the second consecutive match that the Chanticleers had double-digit service errors. Coastal had 14 errors while Texas State tallied eight in their 3-1 win.

Manning led all hitters in the match with 18 kills, while teammates Nemeth and Levanova had 17 and 15 respectively.

At the setter position, Coastal Carolina freshman Brigitta Petrenko had a match-high 49 assists while Bobcat setter DeWalt had a team-high 41 assists.

Huskey led her team to their second-consecutive Sun Belt Volleyball Championship and third overall (2014, 2018, 2019) as she recorded 17 kills, eight digs, four blocks, and three services aces.

The Chanticleers will await their postseason fate with the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Selection Show set for Sunday, Dec. 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.

Nemeth and Petrenko were named to the 2019 Sun Belt Volleyball Championship All-Tournament Team.

Courtesy: Coastal Carolina Athletics