By Cheval John | Vallano Media
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Sam Houston began the volleyball season picked to finish last in Conference USA.

On Saturday, the Bearkats secured a place in the conference tournament, with their goal of a top-three finish still within reach.

The Bearkats completed consecutive home sweeps of Jacksonville State at Johnson Coliseum, winning Friday’s match 25–17, 25–16, 25–23 before taking Saturday’s match 25–23, 25–12, 25–16.

Saturday’s victory improved Sam Houston to 16–9 overall and 7–5 in conference play.

The ESPN+ broadcast reported that the Bearkats had clinched their tournament berth, with New Mexico State’s victory over Delaware also contributing to qualification.

The weekend also brought a milestone for the program.

Friday’s victory marked the first time Sam Houston had reached 15 wins since finishing 18–10 in 2021, and its first 15-win season since joining CUSA in 2023.

Coach Brenda Gray made clear that the Bearkats’ ambitions extend beyond qualifying.

“Our goal is to get to the tournament, but our goal this year is to be top three,” Gray said in her ESPN+ postmatch interview Saturday.

Sam Houston, Middle Tennessee and Liberty each stood at 7–5 in conference play after Saturday’s matches.

The Bearkats travel to Middle Tennessee on November 5–6, giving them an opportunity to gain ground against a team sharing their conference record.

Serving and shared production

Sam Houston’s two victories came with contributions throughout the lineup.

No Bearkat reached double figures in kills in either match, but the team produced 33 kills Friday and 34 Saturday.

Chloe Monson led Sam Houston with nine kills in each match and added 10 digs Saturday.

Bella Wood contributed five kills in both victories while collecting seven service aces across the series.

The Bearkats finished with 18 aces over the two matches, compared with Jacksonville State’s eight.

Brenlin Garlitz supplied 16 assists and four aces Friday.

Lauren Pyle added nine assists, while libero Shaelin White led the defense with 11 digs.

On Saturday, Garlitz and Pyle recorded 12 and 11 assists, respectively, and White finished with a team-high 14 digs.

Chelsea Butler contributed four kills on a .500 hitting percentage and five blocks.

Annika Brooks added five block assists.

Monson said having teammates contribute eased the pressure to carry the offense herself.

“It definitely takes the pressure off me trying to have a perfect game every single time,” she said in her ESPN+ interview.

Gray also praised the execution from the service line.

“I think our serving was on point today, wherever I was asking them to go, they were delivering the ball,” she said.

Jacksonville State tests Friday’s finish

Sam Houston won Friday’s opening two sets by eight and nine points, respectively.

The third required the Bearkats to respond to a closer finish and a late reversal.

A successful Jacksonville State challenge changed an apparent 22–19 Sam Houston lead to 21–20.

Monson and Wood answered with kills to extend the advantage.

The Gamecocks stayed within reach, however, saving two match points before Butler delivered the deciding kill for a 25–23 finish.

A final challenge did not change the outcome.

Sam Houston finished the match hitting .238, compared with Jacksonville State’s .140.

In her postmatch interview with Sam Houston SportsTalk, Gray emphasized keeping the team’s attention on its own play and approaching the remaining schedule one match at a time.

With conference positioning still unsettled, the Bearkats returned Saturday needing another victory.

An opening-set escape

Saturday’s first set became the pivotal stretch of the second match.

Sam Houston started with five consecutive points and later led 17–9.

The Bearkats still held a six-point advantage at 22–16 before Jacksonville State scored seven straight points to move ahead 23–22.

Sam Houston answered by winning the final three rallies.

Monson’s kill, assisted by Wood, tied the score.

A bad set by Jacksonville State’s Delaney Moon put the Bearkats ahead, and a Claire Evans attack error completed the 25–23 win.

The Bearkats took the set despite recording eight attack errors against 10 kills, finishing with a .051 hitting percentage.

Their offense became considerably more efficient in the second set.

Jacksonville State scored the opening two points, but Sam Houston responded with a seven-point run.

The Bearkats produced 14 kills against two errors, hitting .444 in a 25–12 victory while holding the Gamecocks to five kills.

In her postmatch interview, Gray discussed communication and adjustments during the opening set, along with serving targets intended to disrupt Jacksonville State’s offense.

Monson also pointed to passing and blocking discipline as areas of emphasis.

Five straight points seal the sweep

Jacksonville State opened the third set with a 5–1 lead, but Sam Houston recovered to move ahead 15–9.

The Gamecocks later narrowed an 18–12 deficit to 18–15.

Kills by Monson and Wood restored a five-point advantage before Jacksonville State scored again to make it 20–16.

Sam Houston then won the final five points.

Rachelle Reed began the closing run with a kill assisted by White.

Faith Roulston followed with a kill from Pyle, and Butler added another.

Attack errors by Evans and D’Yanna Spicer supplied the final two points.

Audrey Terry served the last four rallies as the Bearkats completed the 25–16 finish.

Sam Houston hit .241 for the match and held Jacksonville State to .032.

Both teams finished with nine team blocks.

Evans led the Gamecocks with 12 kills Saturday, while Azavia Thomas added seven.

Jacksonville State finished the series 3–21 overall and 0–12 in conference play.

A higher finish remains within reach

The preseason coaches poll placed Sam Houston 10th with 17 points.

Middle Tennessee was tied for eighth with 18.

Both have moved beyond those predictions and enter their upcoming series with seven conference wins.

For Sam Houston, the trip to Murfreesboro offers a direct test against another team pursuing position near the top of the standings.

“We got to be better today than we were yesterday. And I thought we were,” Gray said after Saturday’s victory.

The Bearkats have secured their tournament place.

With Middle Tennessee next and WKU following at home, their remaining matches will determine how close they come to the top-three finish Gray set as a goal.