Sam Houston shrugged off a 2-0 halftime deficit and scored three goals in the first seven minutes of the second half to beat McNeese State, 4-2, Sunday at Pritchett Field. The Bearkats improved to 2-1 in Southland play.

McNeese was the better team in the first half and nothing was going right for the Kats but the second half was a completely different story.

It was the Ashley Alonzo and Allie Johnson show in the as the two players completely dominated the game in the second period. The pair combined to score all four of the Bearkat goals. Alonzo fell just short of a second straight game with a hat trick, missing a first half penalty.

“I thought we played a great second half. It was all the players, it didn't have anything to do with personnel decisions or coaching,” SHSU head coach Tom Brown said. “It was just all about getting in and gutting it out. I'm really proud of them and hopefully this will be a rallying point for the team.”

Johnson got the Kats on the board first when she latched onto a through ball from Alonzo and hit it across the goal into the far corner.

The second goal came on a long-range effort from Alonzo that snuck into the far post. Johnson was running across the face of goal and did enough to throw off the goalkeeper.

Alonzo gave the Bearkats their first lead of the day when she finished off a great flicked pass from Johnson.

The final goal came after the McNeese 'keeper mishandled a through ball from Shelby McDaniel. Johnson gathered the ball, dribbled around the keeper and buried it in the net.

The victory marks the first time this season that the Kats have come from behind to win.

SHSU goalkeeper Kylie Hambleton had to make six saves in the match but was perfect in the second half with five saves on five shots on goal.

Sam Houston will be back at Pritchett Field next week for another “Free Food Friday” when the Kats host Northwestern State at 6:30 p.m. SHSU will then play at Stephen F. Austin Sunday at 1 p.m.