Sam Houston opened the Flo Hyman Collegiate Cup with a five-set victory over Oral Roberts Friday at the University of Houston's Athletics Alumni Center.
The Bearkats overcame a two sets to one deficit to defeat ORU 13-25 25-23 20-25 27-25 16-14 in the event's opening match. The victory avenged a three-set loss to the Eagles last year in a Southland Conference match in Huntsville.
Undefeated Louisiana-Lafayette handed the Kats a three-set loss in the SHSU women's second match of the day. The Ragin' Cajuns upped their perfect record to 8-0 with a 25-20 25-12 25-22 victory.
Shelby Genung led the Bearkats in their win over ORU with a career best 17 kills in 30 attempts. The sophomore's final kill set up match point in the fifth set. SHSU earned the victory on an ORU error.
Deveney Wells-Gibson posted 13 kills and Carling Urben added 11. Michelle Griffith assisted on 45 of Sam Houston's 55 kills. Breana Homer and Claire Kilpatrick led the defense as they compiled 18 and 17 digs, respectively.
Now back in the Summit Conference, Oral Roberts caught fire in the first set. Up by two, 11-9, ORU finished with a 14-4 run to take the opening stanza. Sam Houston bounced back in the second set.
Down by three, 20-17, Homer and Wells-Gibson each picked up big kills to tie the set 21-21. Paced by two kills by Urben, Sam Houston won four of the next points to even the match at one set apiece.
In the third stanza, the Kats trailed by one, 19-18, when the Eagles got hot once more. ORU won six of the final eight points to go up two sets to one.
After 10 ties in the fourth set, Sam Houston took control. Freshman Jordyn Vaughn gave the Kats their first set point with a kill. ORU evened the stanza at 25-all but committed back-to-back errors to force a fifth set.
Sam Houston led 12-9 in the final stanza but saw ORU battle back to go up 13-12. An Eagle error and a kill by Genung gave SHSU match point and the Kats collected the victory on the ORU error.
Wells-Gibson led SHSU with 16 kills in the loss to the Cajuns. Griffith collected 27 kills and Homer led the team defensively with 10 digs.
Sam Houston, now 6-3 for the year, completes play in the tournament Saturday morning against the host Houston Cougars.
