Final tune-up for league play at TCU event
9/18/2014 12:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Entering their final non-conference tournament action of the young 2014 season, the Sam Houston volleyball team is looking for achievement not equaled since 1994.
With six victories in their first 10 matches the Bearkats already have equaled the highest mark for non-conference wins before their Southland opener. The SHSU women also post six wins before their first league match in 2010.
However, not since 1994 has a Bearkat volleyball team opened its league schedule with more than six pre-conference wins. The 1994 team, which went on to be Southland regular season co-champions and earn a berth in the post season National Invitational Tournament (NIT), opened league play with 11 wins.
Sam Houston travels to Fort Worth for the TCU Molten Invitational. The Kats open play Friday at 7 p.m. against the host Horned Frogs. The SHSU women face High Point at 11 a.m. and Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 4 p.m. Saturday.
TCU brings a 7-4 record into the tournament that includes a three-set victory over the Southland Conference's Abilene Christian. The Frogs are led by 6-0 senior outside hitter Stephanie Holland who is averaging 2.84 kills per set.
The Panthers from High Point, North Carolina, stand 4-6 on the year. High Point's top offensive threat is 6-0 outside hitter Chelsea Davis who sports a 3.17 kills per set scoring mean.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff brings a 1-9 record into the tournament.
With only two returning starters, Sam Houston was picked to finish fourth in this year's race in the 2014 preseason poll voted upon by the league's head coaches. But after three weeks of action, Sam Houston's 6-4 record stands as the second best in the conference.
Sam Houston's victories include several top teams. The Bearkats defeated California State-Bakersfield (Western Athletic Conference), Mississippi State (Southeastern Conference) and Louisiana-Monroe (Sun Belt Conference) on the way to a tournament title in their opening weekend.
Last weekend, the Kats rallied from two sets to one down to defeat Oral Roberts of the Summit Conference. A year ago, in ORU's last of two seasons in the Southland, the Eagles defeated the Bearkats in straight sets. The pair tied for third place in last year's league race.
Sam Houston boasts the Southland's second-most productive offense, totaling 466 kills in 38 sets for a 12.26 kills per set average.
Bearkat senior outside hitter Deveney Wells-Gibson leads the Southland in kills with 163 (4.29 per set).
Setter Michelle Griffith ranks fourth in the league in assists with 370 in 38 sets for a 9.74 average. Middle blocker Breana Homer stands ninth in the league in digs with 3.70 per set.
Sam Houston begins Southland Conference action on Saturday, September 27, against Lamar in Beaumont. The Bearkats' first league match at home will be Thursday, October 9, versus Incarnate Word.
