Kats begin Rice Invite with No. 24 USC
9/8/2016 5:01:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
HUNTSVILLE – After seeing its four-match winning streak snapped on Tuesday, the Sam Houston State volleyball team looks to start another at Rice this weekend.
The Bearkats (4-3) will face Southern California on Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the squad's opener of the Rice Adidas Invite in Houston. The squad returns Saturday to face the host Owls at 10 a.m. before closing out the weekend at 5 p.m. against Oakland.
One weekend ago, Sam Houston clawed its way to three straight wins at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Tournament, hosted by Tulane, in route to the tournament championship. In the finale, the Kats downed the Green Wave, 3-1.
The squad's four straight victories has matched last year's season high while adding to the momentum for a squad playing in 13 straight matches away from home to begin the season. Sam Houston boasted a .270 attack percent, its second most of the season only behind its .298 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Defensively, Sam Houston limited Tulane to a .195 attack percentage as five players recorded double-digit digs including Addison Miller's team-leading 17. It marked a career high for the freshman who also tallied five assists. Michelle Griffith tallied 51 assists, the most by a player this season.
On the weekend, Vaughn posted 43 kills (3.58 per set) and 34 digs while White, who was also named to the All-Tournament Team, secured 46 kills (3.83 per set) and 40 assists.
Meanwhile, USC (3-3), ranked No. 24 nationally, is riding a three-match winning streak entering Friday. The Trojans picked up wins against Kentucky, Northern Iowa and Creighton, closing out a six-match homestand to begin the year. Among the Pac 12, the squad ranks fourth in digs (15.26 per set) and seventh in opponent hitting percentage (.211).
For Rice (3-4), the tournament will be the first of two consecutive the squad will host. The Owls dropped two of three last weekend at the Tiger Invitational, hosted by Missouri. Rice has also played one game against the Southland thus far, sweeping Houston Baptist on Aug. 30.
Oakland enters the weekend at 4-3 following split results at the Iowa tournament most recently. The Golden Grizzlies were picked to finish third in the 2016 Horizon League Volleyball Preseason Poll. Oakland owns wins against Bowling Green, VCU, Butler and Western Illinois.
For the latest on the Sam Houston volleyball program, follow @BearkatsVB on Twitter and visit GoBearkats.com.
