Thursday vs. Southeastern La.
10/31/2012 6:25:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Victories on the road at Oral Roberts and Central Arkansas last weekend gave the Bearkats an 11-2 league mark. UCA, which had gone 11-0 at home coming into Saturday's four-set loss to SHSU, now is a half-game back of the Kats with an 11-3 mark.
Sam Houston plays four of its final five matches at home. The Bearkats face off with Southeastern Louisiana (10-15, SLC 5-10) Thursday at 7 p.m. and Nicholls (10-16, SLC 5-10) Saturday at 10 a.m. at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
The Bearkats' lone road contest in the final two weeks of the season is against third place Northwestern State (18-8, SLC 10-4) in Natchitoches next Tuesday.
"Five matches in two weeks will be a challenge," head coach Brenda Gray said. "We have to stay focused. We're coming off a fantastic weekend, handing two teams their first losses at home. We can't let down now."
Sam Houston defeated Southeastern Louisiana 25-20 25-13 25-21 in the two team's first meeting in Hammond, La., Sept. 27.
Deveney Wells-Gibson and Kendall Cleveland continue to lead the Bearkats offensively. Wells-Gibson is averaging 4.02 kills per set and has totaled 416 points for the Kats this year. Cleveland, last week's Southland "Offensive Player of the Week" is averaging 3.23 kills per set and is responsible for 327 points.
Kaylee Hawkins (183 kills, 208 digs this year) and Haley Neisler (157 kills) also are top contributors to the Bearkat attack.
Senior Kim Black is 98 blocks away from eclipsing Karen Zoch's Bearkat career total blocks record (536 in1984-87). With 127 blocks this season, Black now stands at 439 blocks for her career.
Junior setter Tayler Gray is averaging 10.7 assists per set and 3.61 digs. Gray has assisted on 984 of Sam Houston's 1200 kills this season.
A special feature of Thursday's match will be a special Day after Halloween Costume / Halloween Party.
Tickets for Sam Houston volleyball are available online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the SHSU ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium.
