HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston split a pair of matches on the opening day of the Bearkat Invitational and the 2025 season on Friday at Johnson Coliseum. 

The Kats (1-1) initially dropped a 5-set heartbreaker to Southern Illinois to kick off the weekend before rebounding for a sweep of McNeese to cap off the day. 
 
The Bearkat Invitational will conclude on Saturday morning with a pair of matches, starting at 9:00 a.m. with McNeese vs Southern Illinois. Sam Houston will then close out the weekend with a match vs Tulane, beginning at noon. 

Southern Illinois 3, Sam Houston 2 
Freshman Chloe Monson delivered a team-high 19 kills, but a pair of late comebacks pushed SIU past the Kats in five sets.  

SHSU took Sets 1 and 3 and led 22-20 in Set 4 before SIU rallied to score five of the set's final six points to force the decisive fifth frame. The Kats then led by four points at multiple points of the fifth set, including as late as 8-4, before the Salukis came back again to secure the victory. 

Chelsea Butler and Lillian Hamilton each joined Monson in double figures with 10 kills apiece, while Shaelin White led the Kats with 22 digs. Monson added 13 digs for her first career double-double and Lauren Malone just missed one of her own with nine scores and 10 digs.  

Setter Avery Fowler dished out 31 assists to go with 14 digs of her own, while Butler and Rachell Reed had five blocks apiece. 

Sam Houston 3, McNeese 0 
Sam Houston wasted little time in disposing of McNeese for its first win of 2025 in the second match of the day. 

Michaela Panekova was the go-to hand with 11 kills on just 22 swings (.455), with White adding 21 digs to help hold the Cowgirls to just .117 hitting for the match. Fowler dished out another 26 assists and White had 21 digs.