Islanders invade Johnson Coliseum Saturday
11/1/2014 6:27:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
For the fifth time in the past two-and-a-half weeks, Sam Houston State faces a crucial match against an opponent ranked among the top five teams in the Southland Conference volleyball title race.
This time the foe is Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a 2 p.m. match Saturday at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum. The Islanders enter the fray with an 8-3 record and stand a half-game ahead of Sam Houston. The Kats are 7-3 in league action.
Sam Houston owns a 14-9 overall record this fall with only nine of those matches going three sets. The Bearkats are 5-1 in four-set matches and 3-5 in five-setters. Two of those three losses that went the distance came at the hands on the road against the top two teams in the league.
Stephen F. Austin (11-0) and Central Arkansas (10-1) each handed the Kats a loss a week ago. But the Bearkats bounced back to defeat fifth place Northwestern State (7-3) in five in Natchitoches and Houston Baptist (6-4) Thursday night in four sets.
The SHSU women are 8-0 at home this season and have won their last 10 matches at Johnson Coliseum since last year. Four of the Kats' nine three-setters came in Huntsville.
Deveney Wells-Gibson, the Southland's leader in kills this season, brings a season total of 420 for an average of 4.72 per set. Carling Urben (154), Shelby Genung (142) and Jordyn Vaughn (137) provide additional offense for the Kats.
Defensively, libero Claire Kilpatrick has totaled 371 digs. Breanna Homer has added 305 digs and Wells-Gibson 246. Setter Michelle Griffith is one of the Southland leaders in assists with 980.
The Islanders bring a 15-13 overall record into Saturday's tilt.
Brianna Brink is A&M-Corpus Christi's top offensive threat with 376 kills this year. Setter Kristyn Nicholson runs the floor for the Islanders.
Saturday's match is the second during a five-match home stand for Sam Houston. Next up for the Bearkats will be a Tuesday meeting with Northwestern State.
