San Marcos - On a night when Carli Kolbe became the 20th Sam Houston volleyball player to total more than 1,000 career kills and led both teams with 19 points, the Bearkats dropped a close four-set match with Texas State.
The Bobcats posted a 25-17 15-25 25-19 25-20 victory over Sam Houston to up their record to 12-9 for the season and 5-2 in Southland Conference action. Texas State entered the contest in second place in the Southland West Division.
The Kats dropped to 9-13 for the year and 3-4 in league play.
Each set was close early with one team or the other establishing a rhythm and breaking away to close out the frame.
In the first set, Sam Houston held a 9-7 lead and was tied with Texas State 13-13. But the Bobcats closed out the frame with a 12-4 run.
The Bearkats turned the tables in the second set. Trailing 14-13, Sam Houston gained momentum on back-to-back service aces by Jamie Kaleh and rolled to win 12 of the next 13 points to even the match at 1-1.
With the third set tied 9-9, the Bobcats broke away with an 8-2 to up 17-11 and never looked back as they went up two sets to one.
Sam Houston trailed by only a point, 14-13, in the fourth set but Texas State won 11 of the next 18 points to earn the Southland victory.
Kellie Stewart totaled nine kills for Sam Houston and Haley Neisler added seven. Kim Black, who leads the Southland Conference in blocks this season, was credited with three.
Sam Houston continues its four match Southland road swing Saturday afternoon with a match at UT-Arlington.
