SAN MARCOS, Texas –– After leading the match 2-1 after three sets, Appalachian State University volleyball dropped the next two sets and fell to Texas State, 3-2, on Sunday afternoon.

The Mountaineers (2-15, 0-4 Sun Belt) were led offensively by Jenna Talbert who finished with 15 kills and added seven digs. Emma Longley also finished with double-digit kills and tallied 11.

Amanda Krahl and Ashlyn Brown shared the setting duties on Sunday finishing with 20 and 13, respectively.

Defensively, Kennedy Wilson led the team with 19 digs. Brown tallied a double-double with 14.

“That's about how proud I can be in a loss. We have been struggling mightily with our effort and energy, but the players definitely flipped that today,” said head coach Matt Ginipro. “We kill any momentum we had being up 2-1 by making way too many errors in the fourth set. However, we made a great comeback in the fifth to tie it up 10-10 after being down 8-3.” 

Ginipro continued, “To have played as poorly as we have been and take a good team to the limit on their home floor is, hopefully, a turning point for us. We just need to carry it over to practice this week.”

Appalachian got off to a great start in the opening set. The Apps would jump out to a quick 13-7 lead and would maintain an advantage over the Bobcats (10-9, 3-1 Sun Belt). With a 23-18 lead, a kill from Longley and a Bobcat error would seal the set win for App State.

Texas State would answer in the following set and with the score tied 12-12, the Bobcats would engineer a 9-3 run to take a 21-15 lead and would win the set 25-19.

In a potentially momentum shifting third set, the Mountaineers and Bobcats found themselves tied 13 times. App State led 12-6 in the set midway through, but were down late 24-22 and facing set point. 

Back-to-back kills from Ashton Gregory and Talbert tied the set 24-24. With the score tied again at 26-26, a kill from Talbert and a Bobcat error gave the Apps a 2-1 match lead.

However, the Bobcats would respond in a big way in the fourth set getting out to a 13-6 lead and pushed its lead to 11 at 23-12 before winning the set 25-14 to set up a decisive fifth set.

Down 8-3 midway through the final set, the Mountaineers came back to tie the set at 10-10 with kills from Longley, Gregory and three from Melissa McMath. The Bobcats would edge out the Mountaineers for the final five points, 5-3, and win the match.

The Mountaineers will return to action next Friday, Oct. 7 when they travel to Georgia Southern. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m.