Huntsville - Junior outside hitter Carli Kolbe totaled 19 kills and served an ace on match point as Sam Houston held off a determined A&M-Corpus Christi squad to Bearkats their first Southland Conference volleyball win this season.
The Kats ended a six-match losing streak with a 25-16 26-24 21-25 17-25 15-13 victory as Sam Houston moved to 7-11 for the season and 1-2 in Southland Conference action.
Senior outside hitter Emma Ridley, the Southland's number two scorer, led both teams with 26 kills in 76 attempts. Ridley turned the match around winning three straight points on her serve to put A&M-Corpus Christi up 23-19 in the third set. The Islanders went on to win both the third and fourth sets to force a final fifth frame.
With the score tied 13-13, the sixth deadlock of the fifth set, Ridley committed a service error and Kolbe fired a ace to clinch the victory.
During the entire two hour and 15 minute match, there were 31 ties and 13 lead changes. In both the second and third sets there were nine ties apiece.
Junoir Kim Black also totaled double figure kills for Sam Houston with 10 and led the team with seven blocks. Freshman Haley Neisler totaled seven kills. Junior setter Kym Loving assisted on 44 of Sam Houston's 50 kills.
A&M-Corpus Christi drops to 6-10 for the year and stands 0-3 in Southland Conference play. The Islanders totaled 54 kills but committed 32 attack errors , 12 service errors and four blocking miscues.
Bearkat libero Kaylee Hawkins totaled 23 digs and Tayler Gray added 13 defensive plays. TAMUCC libero Micah Nolan was credited with 22 digs.
Sam Houston returns to action Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. when the Bearkats play host to the UTSA Roadrunners at Johnson Coliseum.
