HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston volleyball team bounced back from a season-opening loss in a big way with a three-set sweep of Northwestern State at Johnson Coliseum Thursday night.
 
Senior Ashley Lewis led the Bearkats (1-1 in SLC) with 17 kills, while junior Breanne Chausse added nine. Senior Madilyn Miles and freshman Hannah Baker each had 14 digs, and freshman Makensie Garner finished with 11.
 
As was the case with the first two sets, when the Bearkats took the lead, they never relinquished it in the third. Sam Houston took control of the set by scoring seven straight points to go up 13-5 on kills by Lewis and Chausse, an ace by Miles and an attack error.
 
Another kill by Chausse and an attack error put the Bearkats up 20-10. Lewis had three straight kills, sophomore Samantha Rodgers added another and a Lady Demon attack error sealed the match victory at 25-13.
 
The Lady Demons (2-1, 0-1) took an early lead in the second set, but the Bearkats came back to take the lead for good at 8-6 on kills by Lewis, Chausse and sophomore De'Janae Gilmore. SHSU pushed the lead to 16-9 on a block by freshman McKenzie Morvant and Lewis.
 
A kill by Chausse made it 24-17, and Morvant put Sam Houston up two sets to none with a kill to finish the 25-17 win.
 
Behind the serving of sophomore Morgan Janda, the Kats stormed out to a 5-0 lead in the first set and never looked back on the way to a 25-13 victory. Sophomore Catherine Krieger and Morvant each had kills and Janda an ace to go along with a pair of Northwestern State attack errors.
 
Sam Houston led by 11 three times, the first at 19-8 on a kill by Lewis. An ace by Gilmore capped the 12-point win.
 
The Bearkats have a week off before heading to New Orleans for a 6:30 p.m. match Feb. 11.