Volleyball seeing early season success
9/10/2014 9:09:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Two weeks into the 2014 volleyball season, Sam Houston appears ready to be a force in the Southland Conference race this fall.
The Bearkats are one of only three teams in the league with an above .500 non-conference record.
Sam Houston stands 5-2 in non-league play, followed by McNeese State at 5-3 and New Orleans 4-3. The Kats opened the season by winning the championship at their own SHSU Invitational in Huntsville (defeating California State-Bakersfield, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi State and Texas-Pan American).
Last week, the Bearkats finished third at the Pioneer Classic hosted by the University of Denver, ending the tournament with a four-set win over Bradley.
Senior outside hitter Deveney Wells-Gibson stands as the conference's top offensive player, leading the league with 4.48 kills per set. Wells-Gibson has totaled 112 kills in 25 sets in seven matches.
Sophomore setter Michelle Griffith stands third in the Southland Conference in assists with an average of 9.88 per set. Freshman Brooke White, sophomore Brenna Homer and sophomore Shelby Genung all are tied for third in blocks in the league with nine apiece.
Sam Houston looks to continue its success this weekend at the Flo Hyman Challenge Cup hosted by the University of Houston Friday and Saturday. The schedule calls for the Bearkats to take on Oral Roberts at 1 p.m. and Louisiana-Lafayette at 4 p.m. Friday. The SHSU women will complete action in the event Saturday meeting host Houston at 11 a.m.
Sam Houston's next home volleyball match is Thursday October 9 at 6:30 p.m. when the Kats play host to Incarnate Word in their first home Southland Conference league match.
