Thibodaux, La. - Led by Kendall Cleveland and Deveney Wells-Gibson, Sam Houston State took only an hour and 19 minutes to dispatch Nicholls State in three sets and earn its third consecutive Southland Conference volleyball victory Saturday afternoon.
The Bearkats defeated the Colonels 25-6 25-19 25-16 to up SHSU's season record to 8-9. The Kats now are 4-2 in league action and have won five of their last seven matches.
Cleveland totaled 10 kills in 28 attempts and Wells-Gibson added nine kills. Both totaled 11 digs. Setter Tayler Gray assisted on 28 of Sam Houston's 41 kills and led the Kat defense with 13 digs. Liberto Camille Alfaro was credited with seven digs.
Kim Black led SHSU with three blocks, bringing her career total to 445, the second highest total in Bearkat annals. Karen Zoch, a top player for the Kats from 1984 to 1987, holds the school record with 536 blocks.
Sam Houston never trailed in the first set, jumping out to an 8-2 lead and winning 17 of the final 21 points. The Colonels held a 14-11 lead in the second set, but the Kats roared back to take the second frame with a 14-5 run. The final set was tied 3-3 before SHSU took control to wrap up the match.
The Bearkats return to Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum Thursday to host Stephen F. Austin at 7 p.m. Sam Houston also will face Northwestern State at 2 p.m. Saturday.
