HUNTSVILLE – Taylor Cunningham and Breanne Chausse both recorded double-digit kills to help the Sam Houston State volleyball team (17-5, 9-1 SLC) to a 3-1, Southland Conference victory over the Northwestern State Lady Demons, Saturday afternoon at Johnson Coliseum.
Leading the SLC in kills, Cunningham led the Bearkats with 21 kills and 22 digs through four sets. Chausse, a freshman, tallied 11 on the day. Jaclyn Ward served as a consistent base for Sam Houston as she gathered 40 assists, one of the Kats' three solo blocks and 15 digs.
SET 1 – SHSU 25, NSU 22
After falling behind 0-1, Sam Houston fought back with three consecutive points thanks to two NSU errors and a kill from Cunningham. Cunningham led both teams with eight kills in the first set off 14 swings. Though the Kats controlled the momentum for the vast majority of the set, the Lady Demons took a 13-12 lead midway through the set after two kills, an ace and SHSU service error gave NSU four consecutive points. However, the Kats answered back and kills from Cunningham and Ward sealed the 25-22 set win for the Kats.
SET 2 – SHSU 25, NSU 19
The Lady Demons used three kills and a Sam Houston attack error to jump out to an early 4-0 lead in the second set before Chausse collected a kill to put the Kats on the board. Cunningham and Ward helped tie up the set, 7-7, and a kill from Elise Smith gave the Kats their first lead of the set at 8-7. However, the squads forced two lead changes before the Sam Houston gained some much-needed distance on a 6-0 run. With a 21-19 lead, Caroline Sheaff teamed up with Ward and the Kats collected four straight points to claim set two, 25-19.
SET 3 – NSU 25, SHSU 21
Sam Houston jumped ahead 7-3 to begin the third set, but NSU slowly chipped away at the Kats' lead and tied up the set, 8-8, thanks to big kills from Hannah Brister. Despite the sudden comeback, Sam Houston recorded consecutive kills from Chausse and Jordan Kiley, along with three NSU errors, to take a 13-8 lead. The momentum swung away from the Kats towards the end of the match and the Lady Demons gathered six unanswered points to take a commanding 23-19 lead. Sam Houston tried to even up the set, but Brister's ninth kill of the set solidified a 21-25 set win for NSU.
SET 4 – SHSU 25, NSU 21
The Kats got off to another slow start in the fourth and fell behind 5-8 before their offense efforts came alive. Cunningham started a three-point run that was followed by a kill from Smith and huge double-block from Chausse and Smith to equalize the set at eight points apiece. The Kats and Lady Demons stayed within two points of one another until Sam Houston gathered six unanswered points on four NSU attack errors and two Chausse kills. Leading 20-16, the Kats surrendered three quick points before Ashley Lewis squandered the NSU momentum with key back-to-back kills. After a pair of kills from Cunningham, she and Ward stood strong on the final play of the match and delivered a monster double block to give Sam Houston the 3-1 victory. Chausse and Cunningham combined for 10 of the Kats' 13 kills in the set.
Coming Up Next
The squad will travel down to Texas A&M Corpus Christi to face the Islanders in a 6:30 p.m. matchup on Thursday, Oct. 25. Live stats will be available for the contest. For more information on the Sam Houston State volleyball team, visit gobearkats.com.
