Volleyball Faces Top Foes In Houston
9/10/2015 9:25:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Bearkat volleyball team faces another weekend against stiff competition as Sam Houston heads to Houston for the Rice Adidas Invitational Friday and Saturday.
Colorado and Louisiana-Lafayette will join host Rice as opponents for the Bearkats. Sam Houston opens the event with the Buffaloes at 4 p.m. Friday. The Owls follow opening with the Ragin' Cajuns. Saturday, Sam Houston plays Rice at 10:30 a.m. and Louisiana-Lafayette at 5 p.m.
Sam Houston brings a 4-3 record into the contest but two of those three losses have been narrow five-set defeats against two Texas squads that have been impressive in early action. Sam Houston fell to UTSA 15-12 in the fifth set as the Roadrunners won the Sam Houston Invitational. Baylor, who defeated unbeaten Cal-Poly for the title at the Bears' tournament in Waco last week, had to come from two sets to one down to squeak past the Kats in five last Saturday.
“There's a lot to like about this group,” Sam Houston head coach Brenda Gray said. “We're playing with a lot of energy and we're competing well with teams from some big conferences.”
Sophomores Brooke White and Jordyn Vaughn both rank among the Southland Conference's top offensive players after the first two weeks of the 2015 season.
White, the league's “Offensive Player of the Week” after the opening weekend of the 2015 schedule, ranks sixth in the Southland with 81 kills. Vaughn is right behind with 77 kills this year.
Claire Kilpatrick, who was named as the outstanding defensive player at last week's tournament in Waco, stands third in the Southland with 126 digs (4.85 per set). Team captain and preseason all-league setter Michelle Griffith ranks fourth in the Southland in assists with 244 for a 9.38 per set average.
Host Rice stands 5-2 two weeks into their schedule. The Owls own victories over LSU, UC-Irvine, Lamar, Rhode Island and Yale. Leah Miesky is a threat up front with 100 kills in 29 sets so far.
Colorado brings a 2-3 record into Friday and Saturday's event that includes a five-set victories over No. 9 ranked Florida State and Big 12 power Oklahoma. Alexis Austin (38 kills this year) and Gabby Simpson (32 kills) are the Buffs' top offensive threats.
Louisiana-Lafayette is 3-5 after playing in the Texas Tech and Camillo Classic tournaments. The Ragin' Cajuns own victories over Jackson State, Nicholls and Southern.
Following this weekend's action, Sam Houston returns home to play host to Texas State in a 6:30 p.m. match at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum Tuesday night.
It's “Grow The Growl” night at Johnson with special prizes to be given away to the 200 craziest fans attending. The Grow the Growl give away is being sponsored by SHSU Greek Life. Students that attend all four games this fall will be eligible for a $2,500 scholarship from the College of Criminal Justice.
Tuesday also is $1 concessions night at the Coliseum. Popcorn, candy, pizza and Pepsi will all be $1 each.
Also Tuesday, Bearkat athletics has partnered with the CMTA and Huntsville Memorial Hospital for CMT Awareness night. Those that attend can donate to the CMTA and receive a CMT Awareness bracelet and be entered into a drawing for a volleyball autographed by the Bearkat volleyball team. There will also be free t-shirts and a special presentation at intermission.
