Undefeated Cincinnati handed Sam Houston its first loss of the 2011 season as the Bearkats lost 25-10 21-25 25-8 25-19 on the second day of the North Texas Eagle Invitational Saturday afternoon in Denton.

An hour later, the University of Oklahoma also defeated the Bearkats in a hard-fought three-setter 27-25 25-21 25-16.

The losses leave Sam Houston 5-2 for the young 2011 season. Senior middle blocker Kim Black was selected to the event's all-tournament team. 

Cincinnati dominated the match, scoring 58 points on kills, aces and blocks while the Kats totaled only 34.

Led by Missy Harpenau with a match best 16 kills, Cincinnati totaled 58 kills in 108 attempts. Sam Houston responded with only 27 kills as the Bearkats committed 38 total errors including 26 attack miscues.

Black led Sam Houston with seven kills while Kelli Stewart and Christine Alfaro each totaled six.

Cincinnati jumped out to early leads in each of the three sets won by UC, building leads of 17-7 in the first set, 11-2 in the third and 13-9 in the fourth. Sam Houston got out of the gate quickly in the second set, going up 11-5 and leading the rest of the way to even the game at one set apiece.

The first set of the Sam Houston vs. Oklahoma match was a battle with 16 ties and four lead changes before the Sooners edged the Kats 27-25. The two teams were tied seven times with four lead changes in the second set won by OU 25-21.

The Sooners took control early in the third set and never trailed as Oklahoma closed out the match and up its season mark to 6-1.

Kendall Cleveland led Sam Houston with 11 kills. Black added nine. Oklahoma totaled 45 kills to 36 for Sam Houston State.

The Bearkats started the day 5-0, the first time a Sam Houston volleyball team had won its first five matches to start a season since 1982.

The Bearkats will continue their early season road swing, participating in tournaments at the Washington State and Stephen F. Austin the next two weekends. The Bearkats next home match is Thursday, Sept. 29, when SHSU plays host to defending Southland Conference regular season champion Central Arkansas.

Tickets for Sam Houston home volleyball matches are on sale online now at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the SHSU athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.