HUNTSVILLE -- For the third time in the last four years, the Sam
Houston State volleyball team is off to a 2-0 start in Southland
Conference action.
The Bearkats defeated
Northwestern State in four games Saturday afternoon after knocking off
Central Arkansas in five Friday night.
The
victories gave Sam Houston State a 3-0 record for the week as the
Bearkats defeated Texas-Pan American Wednesday in a non-conference
matchup.
Senior outside hitter Cynthia
Yarotsky was the driving force for the Bearkats during all three
victories this week. She totaled 87 points in the three contests with
81 kills, four aces, and two blocks.
Saturday,
Yarotsky totaled 29 kills against Northwestern State as the Bearkats
won 27-30 30-27 30-19 30-24. Freshman Brittanie Wallace added 18 kills.
Three
of the four games with the Demons were close with 25 ties during all
the games combined. Sam Houston totaled 63 kills compared to
Northwestern State's 56.
Friday, Yarotsky
totaled 31 kills and Wallace had 21 as Sam Houston State rallied to
defeat Central Arkansas in five games in the Southland Conference
volleyball opener for both teams.
The
Bearkats won 30-18 29-31 24-30 39-37 15-11. The victory evened Sam
Houston's season mark at 6-6. Central Arkansas, who came into the
contest with the best non-conference record in the SLC, dropped to 13-3.
Sam
Houston State's 39 points in the fourth game tied the record for
longest game by a Bearkat team since rally scoring was instituted by
the NCAA. The fourth game was tied 21 times. Central Arkansas served
for the game five times, at 32-31, 33-32, 34-33, 35-34, and 36-35, but
could not put the Bearkats away.
Finally, Launa McClung's kill gave the Bearkats a 38-37 advantage and Katie Phillips served an ace for the game winner.
Sam
Houston grabbed a quick 6-2 lead in the final game with Yarotsky kills
accounting for three of the points. The senior outside hitter warpped
up the match with a kill at 15-11.
The
victory marked the fourth year in a row Sam Houtson State has started
Southland Conference action with a victory. Central Arkansas and Sam
Houston ended the match dead even in kills with 78 apiece.
Sam
Houston State will play host to Northwestern State in another Southland
Conference match Saturday at 4 p.m. at Johnson Coliseum.
Northwestern State brings a 4-7 non-conference record into Saturday's match.
