TEMPE, Ariz. – The Gonzaga volleyball team fell in three sets (25-18, 25-23, 25-15) to Texas State in its first match of the Sparky Classic at the Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz. It marks the second time this season that the Bulldogs have been swept.
 
Gonzaga (3-6) was led by Sarah Penner with nine kills and six digs while Tiyana Hallums added a match-high 21 digs.
 
The Bulldogs started the match on a 3-0 run, fueled by one kill apiece from Peighton De Von, Kaylie Loewen and Penner, but Texas State (7-5) responded with a 6-0 run to take the lead early in the set, 6-3. Gonzaga was able to regain the lead 9-8 following a Bobcat service error, yet its lead was short-lived as Texas State put together a 9-4 run courtesy of a .448 first-set hitting clip to gain a five-point advantage, 17-12. The Zags were unable to close the gap and fell 25-18 in the first set.
 
Gonzaga stepped up defensively in the second set, recording four of its five total blocks in the second frame alone. The Bulldogs defensive pressure at the net corralled Texas State's hitting as the Bobcats accuracy fell to .179 in the second set. The Zags gained the lead 16-15 off a kill from Penner, but multiple ensuing Zag hitting errors gave Texas State the advantage 18-16. The Bobcats nursed their lead and thwarted a late Zag effort to hold on for the 25-23 second-set win.
 
The third set favored the Bobcats as Gonzaga struggled to connect offensively. Texas State connected for 12 kills at a .250 clip with just three errors as the Bulldogs finished with nine kills off 41 attempts with six errors to hit .073. Texas State established an early lead and finished for the 25-15 third set win.
 
Texas State was led by Amy Pflughaupt with a match-high 13 kills hitting .370 while Emily DeWalt added 32 assists and 11 digs for the match's only double-double.
 
Gonzaga returns to the court Friday, Sept. 14 against host Arizona State at 7 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Arena.