SHSU faces Nicholls in Southland first round
11/11/2012 4:02:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The match will begin at 11 a.m. Friday. Semifinals are Saturday and the championship final will be Sunday afternoon. The tournament winner receives the Southland's automatic bid in the the NCAA volleyball championships.
The Bearkats earned their first Southland volleyball championship since 1994 by sweeping McNeese State and Lamar Thursday and Saturday in SHSU's final two regular season matches.
Sam Houston brings a 20-10 season mark and 15-3 league record into the contest. The Bearkats won a school-Division I record 13 consecutive matches and finished the regular season with wins in 15 of their finals 16 outings.
Sam Houston is seeking its third tournament title and first since 1996. The Bearkats are the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
No. 7 seed Nicholls State (11-18, 6-12 Southland) is making its 10th tournament appearance.
Southland co-champion and event host Central Arkansas is the top seed in the 2012 Southland Conference Tournament/
The Bears (27-4, 15-3 Southland), earned the number one seed by holding a narrow one-set tiebreaker over Sam
Houston State.
UCA is riding a four-match win streak heading into the postseason. The Bears are looking for their first Southland tournament title after starting out the season with a 19-1 record.
Central Arkansas will square off with No. 8 seed Southeastern Louisiana (11-18, 5-13 Southland), Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Lions pushed Central Arkansas to a five-set thriller Sept. 21. Southeastern earned the No. 8 seed after dropping its season finale to Nicholls State.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (21-10, 12-6 Southland) jumped from fifth to third on the final day to claim the No. 3 seed. The Islanders finished the regular season with wins in five of their last six matches and will face No. 6 seed Oral Roberts (15-14,11-7 Southland) at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Northwestern State (20-10, 12-6 Southland) claimed the No. 4 seed after doubling its win total from last year and winning eight of its final 10 matches on the 2012 season.
The Demons face No. 5 seed Stephen F. Austin (21-10, 12-6 Southland), at 4 p.m.
The Southland semifinals will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with the championship match starting Sunday at 2 p.m..
All seven matches of the 2012 tournament will be streamed live for free on the Southland Conference Digital Network, including the league's official mobile and tablet apps for Apple and Android devices.
