HAMMOND, LA -- Led by Cynthia Yarotsky with 18 kills, Sam Houston State defeated Southeastern Louisiana 30-27 17-30 30-19 30-26 in a Southland Conference volleyball match Friday.

 The victory ended a four match losing streak for the Bearkats, lifting the team's season record to 10-11 and evening SHSU's league record at 4-4. The Lions dropped to 9-11 for the year and are 0-8 in Southland action.

Yarotsky, who leads the league in kills per game with a 4.04 mark, totaled her 18 kills in 44 attempts for a .262 hitting percentage Friday. Sarah Hazlewood and Katie Phillips each totaled nine kills for Sam Houston while Brittanie Wallace added seven. Megan McNamara came off the bench to dish out 23 assists as the Kats setter.

Following Saturday's match, the Bearkats' southern Louisiana road swing will continue with a 2 p.m. match Saturday at Nicholls State.

SHSU took the opening game as it pulled away from a 24-22 lead which began with akill by Yarotsky ? the SLC leader in kills per game entering the match. The Bear kats built a 29-24 lead before Southeastern rallied to 29-27 after Melissa Jones and Jessica Srajer blocked a Phillips' attempt at the net. But after a SHSU timeout,
Brittanie Wallace closed out the game for the Bearkats with her last of four kills in the game.

Southeastern came out on fire in the second game behind the serve of Lauren Mayer as the Lions turned a 3-3 contest into a 12-3 game. Mayer, who posted 10 kills, 21 assists and 17 digs, recorded three aces during the run as Southeastern padded its lead to 27-9 after a kill by Mayer.

SHSU responded with a run off the serve of Phillips, closing to within 29-17 before freshman Kalynn Evans sealed the game for the Lady Lions with a kill from the left side.

But after hitting minus-.057 in the second game, SHSU found its offense behind the play of Phillips and Hazelwood who combined for seven of the Bearkats' 12 kills in the frame. A kill by Launa McClung put SHSU ahead for good, 4-3, in the third game and the Bearkats pushed their lead to 12-4 after a kill by Yarotsky. Southeastern fought back as it closed to within 20-14 on a kill by Jones, but the Lions could get no closer as SHSU pulled away and iced the game after a Southeastern hitting error.

SHSU used a decisive run in the final game after Emily Jordan's kills cut the SHSU lead to 16-14. After a Bearkat timeout, Yarotsky took over as she recorded five kills in a 12-2 run that gave SHSU a 28-16 lead.

The Lions battled back behind three consecutive aces by Slidell's Margaret Pittman and Southeastern closed to within 28-23, but Yarotsky thwarted the rally with a kill before eventually closing out the match with a kill off the serve of Maddie Beebe.

Sam Houston State def. Southeastern La. 30-27, 17-30, 30-19, 30-26

Sam Houston State (10-11, 4-4 SLC) (Kills-aces-blocks) ? Cynthia Yarotsky 19-0-2;
Sarah Hazlewood 9-0-2; Katie Phillips 9-4-6; Brittanie Wallace 7-2-1; Launa McClung
4-1-0; Latiffia Randle 2-0-0; Kym Loving 2-1-1; Megan McNamara 1-0-2; Megan Kuehler
0-1-0; Shamira Washington 0-2-0; Totals 53-11-8.0. (Assists) ? McNamara 23; Loving
13. (Dig leaders) ? Yarotsky 18; Washington 12; Kuehler 9; McNamara 8.

Southeastern Louisiana (9-11, 0-8 SLC) (Kills-aces-blocks) ? Melissa Jones 15-0-1;
Lauren Mayer 10-5-2; Emily Jordan 8-1-1; Kalynn Evans 5-1-0; Lydia Adeosun 5-1-2;
Jessica Srajer 4-1-2; Karyn DenBoer 3-0-0; LaToya Anthony 3-0-0; Margaret Pittman
0-4-0; Maddie Beebe 0-2-0; Totals 53-15-5.0. (Assists) ? Beebe 27; Mayer 21. (Dig
leaders) ? Mayer 17; Beebe 13.