Wichita State Volleyball Splits Weekend with Sweep of North Texas and Loss to UTSA

Wichita State volleyball secured a decisive sweep against North Texas on Friday night before falling to UTSA on Sunday.

The two-match stretch in Texas provided a sharp contrast in momentum for the Shockers as they continue their push for the American Conference Tournament.

According to a report from The Sunflower, the Shockers defeated North Texas 3-0 in Denton with set scores of 25-19, 25-21, and 25-23. This victory allowed Wichita State to remain in the hunt for a postseason berth with only three league games remaining in the season.

The sweep was fueled by a significant advantage at the net and at the offensive line. The Sunflower noted that Wichita State outhit the Mean Green .266 to .162 and recorded eight blocks to North Texas’ five. Goshockers.com added that the team tallied 37 kills, six aces, and eight blocks throughout the Friday night contest.

The opening set in Denton remained competitive until Wichita State executed a 6-2 run to establish a 13-11 lead. The Shockers later extended that advantage to 18-13 following a 4-0 stretch, eventually closing the set 25-19.

North Texas attempted to respond in the second set, leading by as much as five points early on. However, a 7-0 run by Wichita State turned a three-point deficit into a 24-20 lead. Goshockers.com reported that McKenzie Jones, Jordan Heatherly, and Maddie Wilson provided the necessary kills to secure the 25-21 set win.

The third set saw North Texas take an early 6-0 run, but the Shockers fought back to lead 22-19. While the Mean Green tied the score at 23-23, Wichita State took the final two points to complete the sweep. Olivia Cohee delivered the final kill to seal the match, according to Goshockers.com.

The momentum from the North Texas sweep did not carry into Sunday’s matchup in San Antonio. UTSA defeated Wichita State 3-1, with set scores of 25-15, 13-25, 26-24, and 26-24.

Wichita State showed a flash of the previous night’s dominance during the second set. After trailing early, the Shockers surged with an 11-point scoring run to lead 20-6, eventually winning the set 25-13. However, UTSA regained control in the third set, winning 26-24 after an 8-2 run swung the momentum in their favor.

The fourth set remained a tight battle. Wichita State answered a 4-0 UTSA run with their own 4-0 response to tie the set at 11-11. Despite a 4-1 run that gave the Shockers a 23-20 lead, UTSA finished the match with a 6-1 run to win 26-24.

Statistical leaders for the Shockers during the loss included Danielle Moore with 12 kills and Jenna Cubbage, who hit .579 with 11 kills. Gabi Maas recorded a match-high 18 digs, while Jordan Heatherly tallied 23 assists and 12 digs.

The following table compares the primary offensive and defensive leaders for Wichita State across the two matches:

Player	Match	Primary Stat	Secondary Stat
McKenzie Jones	vs. North Texas	11 kills	.308 hitting %
Danielle Moore	vs. UTSA	12 kills	2 blocks, 4 digs
Jenna Cubbage	vs. UTSA	11 kills	.579 hitting %
Maddie Wilson	vs. North Texas	6 blocks	5 kills
Jordan Heatherly	vs. UTSA	23 assists	12 digs

UTSA’s performance was highlighted by Gigi Mason, who recorded a match-high 15 kills and hit .343. Redshirt freshman Sydney Bryant also contributed significantly with 13 kills and four blocks, according to The Sunflower.

Wichita State enters the final stretch of their season with a 7-19 overall record and a 4-10 standing in the American Conference. The team returns home to Charles Koch Arena for Senior Night, where they will face Temple at 6 p.m. on Friday.

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