BEAUMONT ? Led by senior Haley Thomas, who posted a season high 18 kills, Sam Houston State took the first set but lost in four to Lamar University in the Bearkats' Southland Conference volleyball opener Saturday afternoon.

Lamar (3-7, SLC 1-0) won the match 21-25 25-16 25-16 25-22. The loss, the Bearkats' fourth in a row, drops Sam Houston State to 5-12 for the year.

Anna Ferguson added eight kills and Carli Kolbe was credited with six kills for the Bearkats. Shalayne Blythe led Lamar with 13 kills.

Sam Houston started strong in a first set that was tied 11 times, the last at 16-16. Kym Loving blasted an ace on her serve to start a 9-5 run for the Kats to end the set victory 25-21.

The second set was tied seven times. Sam Houston held a 13-12 lead, but lost 13 of the final 16 points as Lamar evened the match at one-set apiece.

The two teams were deadlocked five times in the third set, the last at 8-8. But Lamar won 17 of the last 25 points to go up two sets to one.

Sam Houston looked ready to take the match into a fifth set, up 20-18 in the fourth. But the Cardinals won seven of the next nine points to earn the victory.

The Bearkats continue Southland Conference play next weekend with another road trip. Sam Houston State will play Texas State-San Marcus on Thursday and Texas-Arlington on Saturday.