Cynthia Yarotsky totaled 12 kills to lead Sam Houston State as the Bearkats lost to number one seed Lamar 30-27 30-20 30-16 in the first round of the Southland Conference volleyball tournament at the Convocation Center on the campus of Texas-San Antonio Friday afternoon.

The Bearkats made the Southland Conference East Division champion Cardinals earn the victory. The first game was tied 11 times with Sam Houston State holding leads three times.

Sam Houston led 27-26, but Lamar rallied to win the next four points and the game on Destiny Mason and Molli Abel kills and two Bearkat hitting errors.

Lamar did not trail in either the second or third games. The Cardinals jumped out to a 12-5 lead in the second game. Sam Houston rallied to cut the margin to 14-10, but never came closer. Lamar won 13 of the first 16 points in the third game.

The Bearkats were making their 13th appearance in the Southland Conference post-season tournament.

Sam Houston State completed the season with an 11-19 record. The Bearkats were the number eight seed in the tournament, compiling a 5-11 Southland Conference record during the regular season. Yarotsky is the only senior on the 2007 team. The majority of the squad were freshmen and sophomores.