Aiming for a Championship
11/9/2012 11:22:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Their mission is to earn Sam Houston a Southland Conference volleyball regular season championship. A win by the Bearkats over Lamar Saturday at 3 p.m. accomplishes that task.
The Kats bring a 14-3 Southland mark and 19-10 overall won-loss record into their final regular season game Saturday at Johnson Coliseum. Central Arkansas also sits at 14-3 and plays host to SFA. If both teams win, the Bearkats and the Bears are co-champions.
Saturday marks the final home appearance the senior volleyball quintet. The five have combined to lead the Bearkats to 71 victories and four consecutive Southland Conference post season appearances since 2009.
Each of these young women not only are leaders on the floor, but have posted outstanding performances in the classroom as well.
Alfaro is appearing in her 102nd match today. Taking over as libero this year, the San Antonio Marshall has helped guide the Bearkats to victories in 14 of their last 15 matches. In four years, she has totaled more than 600 digs. A marketing major, Alfaro compiled a 3.33 grade point average last spring.
Black, a fifth-year senior, is playing in her 132nd match as a Bearkat.The two-time All-Southland Conference middle blocker is Sam Houston's No. 2 all-time block leader. She leads the league in total blocks this year. The Huntsville native has totaled more than 800 kills in her career and is a two-time Southland "Player of the Week". An Academic All-league player as well, she holds a 3.39 overall GPA as an accounting major.
Cleveland joined the team last year as a transfer Arkansas. The Cy Falls product ranks No. 5 in the Southland in kills and has totaled more than 500 kills the past two seasons. A Southland Conference "Player of the Week" honoree two weeks ago, she has 21 double figure kill performances to her credit. She holds a 3.05 overall grade point average as a business major.
Haas is appearing in her 116th match for Sam Houston today. The defensive specialist has totaled more than 800 digs during her Bearkat career. A native of Deer Park, she has produced 34 double figure dig performances over the past four years. The general business major is a four-time Southland Conference Academic honor roll member with a 3.53 overall grade point average
Playing in her 123rd match today, Hawkins is a two-time All- Conference performer who ranks No. 3 in Sam Houston career digs and has accounted for more than 560 kills. A versatile athlete who has played libero and outside hitter, she is a two-time Player of the Week. The Dickinson native holds the school for most digs in a match with 44. An accounting major and All-Academic performer, she holds an overall GPA of 3.51.
Sam Houston will travel to Conway, Arkansas, next week for the Southland Conference post-season tournament Friday through Sunday. The tournament winner will represent the league in the NCAA Division I national volleyball championship event.
