Boone, NC – Led by Deveney Wells-Gibson with 18 kills in 51 attempts, Sam Houston State closed out its first weekend of action with a four –set victory over Loyola-Maryand Saturday evening.

Earlier Saturday in the Appalachian State volleyball invitational, the host Mountaineers won in three sets over the Bearkats.

Sam Houston , now 1-2 for the year, posted 52 kills in 146 attempts and totaled 70 points to 47 for Loyola in their victory in the nightcap, rolling to a 25-21 25-15 22-25 25-20 victory.

Carling Urben and Shelby Genung each added nine kills and Breanna Homer posted seven. Tayler Gray ran the floor for the Kats with 39 assists. The match was tied 14 times with six lead changes in the four sets.

The Mountaineers defeated Sam Houston 25-23 25-23 25-20.

Wells-Gibson also was the Kats' offensive leader in the first match Saturday with nine kills.

"We played so much better today," Head coach Brenda Gray said. "I'm very proud of the improvement in just one day. With five new players in the lineup including the libero, we did very well."

Bearkat setter Tayler Gray was voted to the all-tournament team.

Sam Houston State will open its 2013 home schedule Tuesday at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum hosting Texas State at 7 p.m.