A pair of matches that started as routs turned into battles as Sam Houston had to go to four sets to earn both their victories on the first day of the 2011 Bearkat Invitational volleyball team.
Carli Kolbe totaled 11 kills and Kendall Cleveland added 10 in the Bearkats' opening victory over Texas-Pan American as SHSU won 25-14 25-15 20-25 25-21.
Kolbe added 13 more kills in the nightcap as SHSU downed Rutgers 25-14 25-19 23-25 25-22.
The Kats jumped out to an early 11-4 lead in the first set of the UTPA opener after winning nine consecutive points on Tayler Gray's serve. Sam Houston started strong in the second stanza as well, going up 13-5 and never trailing.
But UTPA rallied to win the third set and was tied 17-17 with SHSU in the fourth. Kolbe put Sam Houston ahead to stay with a kill and Kym Loving added a service ace as the Kats took eight of the final 12 points to clinch the win.
Gray and Kaylee Hawkins were defensive leaders in the Pan Am match with 16 and 14 digs, respectively. Kim Black was credited with eight blocks.
The Bearkats roared through the first two sets against Rutgers, committing only one attack error in the first frame and just five in the second while the Scarlet Knights totaled 18.
But things tightened up in the third and fourth set. The two teams were tied eight times with three lead changes before Rutgers earned their first set victory of the day. There was six ties in the fourth set.
Black assisted on nine blocks and scored nine more points with kills. Kolbe showed her defensive skills as well rolling up 15 digs. Loving totaled 31 assists and eight digs.
Play in the Bearkat Invitational resumes Saturday at 9 a.m. when A&M-Corpus Christi and UTPA play. Other matches are Rutgers vs. La. Tech at 11:30 a.m.; Sam Houston vs. TAMUCC at 2 p.m.; Rutgers vs. UTPA at 4:30 p.m. and Sam Houston against Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m.
Other results Friday:
TAMUCC def. Rutgers 25-16 25-23 25-21
Brooke Alverson put 13 points on the board with nine kills and four blocks to lead Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to a 25-16 25-23 25-21 straight set victory over Rutgers in the second match of the Bearkat Invitational.
The Islanders totaled 11 kills to only four for the Scarlet Knights as they raced to the first set victory, then held off a stubborn Rutgers squad in the final two frames. Rutgers was led by Tiffany Regmund with eight kills
UTPA def. Louisiana Tech 29-27 25-21 25-23
Led by Ijanae Holman with 12 kills and Saraah Davis with nine, UTPA knocked off Louisiana Tech in three close sets in the third match of the tournament.
Clara Vido and Marcella Braz led the Techsters with nine kills each. The match was tied 10 times with six lead changes in the third and final set.
