HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston volleyball team will jump into Conference USA play against one of the preseason league favorites this weekend with a pair of matches vs UTEP at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Sam Houston (8-5) and the Miners (10-2) will square off at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night and again on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Each match can be watched on ESPN+.
Coach Brenda Gray's squad has battled its way to a winning record in non-conference play, going to five sets seven times with wins in four of those matches. The Kats enter this weekend's play with wins in four of their last five matches but will be looking for their first win over UTEP since 1991.
Freshman Chloe Monson continues to set the pace for the Bearkat offense with an average of 4.02 kills per set, a mark which ranks second among all individuals in CUSA. Chelsea Butler has been a steady hand in the middle as well, ranking in the top five in the league in attack percentage and hitting above .300 in six of her last seven matches.
The Kats are 7-6 all-time vs the Miners, including 0-4 as members of Conference USA. UTEP swept both matches in El Paso a year ago on their way to the NCAA Tournament and enters the weekend with a 10-2 mark with the only blemishes on its record being losses to No. 24 UCLA and No. 10 SMU.
