Jordyn Vaughn totaled 13 kills and Taylor Cunningham added 12 as New Orleans handed Sam Houston a 25-20 25-20 25-23 three-set Southland Conference volleyball loss Saturday afternoon in the Crescent City.

The loss drops the Bearkats to 12-16 for the year and 6-8 in league play. UNO upped its record to 18-13 for the season and 7-7 in the Southland.

New Orleans never trailed in the first two sets and down a point only once in the final stanza. The Privateers were led by Keke Irby with 13 kills. UNO totaled 44 kills as a team while Sam Houston chalked up 35.

Michelle Griffith posted 24 assists as the Bearkats' setter. She also added 10 digs on defense. Libero Claire Kilpatrick led the defense with 11 digs. Amanda Gooch, Shelby Genung and Cunningham each had a hand in two blocks.

Sam Houston had opportunities in each set. Vaughn cut the UNO margin to 23-20 in the first set but the Privateers closed out the set on two Bearkat errors. The Kats stayed close throughout the third period, trailing 23-22 after an attack error. But Irby closed out the match with a pair of kills.

The Bearkats will complete their regular season schedule with home matches Thursday and Saturday against A&M-Corpus Christi and Houston Baptist.