With their third straight five-set victory, the Wildcats improve to 8-8 on the season and 3-2 in conference play. 

The team played against Tarleton State University on Thursday night, a team who is still searching for their first conference win.

Delanna Harper, freshman defensive specialist from McKinney, has been called on in some high-stakes moments to serve for the team. 

“I was nervous the first game or two, but I don’t really get nervous anymore,” Harper said. “I know my teammates trust me, and I know my coaches trust me.”

Head Coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup said that she wishes Harper could be used more often, but that the team often runs out of subs late in the sets, especially the ones that are back and forth. 

Even with the limited attempts for Harper, Alstrup said she is proud of how Harper faces the moments she gets. 

“I am super proud of her for being so mentally tough when it counts,” Alstrup said. “I think she does a really good job of turning on game mode and handling high-pressure situations really well.”

Thursday’s win was part of a rivalry series for the Wildcats, according to Alstrup and Harper. 

Alstrup said her team needed to control their side of the court against the Texans from Tarleton, and Harper said she enjoyed being involved in the game. 

“I’m excited to see how everyone plays and deals with the rivalry, but I think it’ll be fun,” Harper said. 

This five-set win is very beneficial for the Wildcats’ growth and stamina throughout the season and conference play. 

“There are a lot of mental things that you can learn from going to five sets,” Alstrup said. “Now we know that we have the experience, and we have the confidence to know that we’ve done it before, and we can do it again.”

The Wildcats will look to win their fourth straight conference game on Saturday at home against the University of Texas at Arlington. 

Moronu Alstrup said the team will have to prepare for a strong middle attack when they face UTA, who is currently leading the Western Athletic Conference and is currently undefeated in conference play. 

“We need to do our best to keep them out of system and keep the ball away from her,” she said. “We also need to keep the ball around her whenever we’re swinging.”

The Wildcats will have to continue to persevere through long matches, as Saturday’s game will likely go past three sets.