November 7, 2026  

Bearkats split MTSU series as Gray’s recognition highlights a memorable season

By Cheval John | Vallano Media
This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
The final version was reviewed, edited and fact-checked by the author

Graphics created with AI-assisted design tools.
Visual concepts, editorial direction, composition, and final creative decisions were developed by Vallano Media.

Sam Houston left Middle Tennessee with a reminder of both its resilience and the challenges ahead.

The Bearkats closed Thursday’s deciding set with five consecutive points to secure a five-set victory.

On Friday, the Blue Raiders answered with a four-set win, earning a split of the Conference USA series at Alumni Memorial Gym in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Sam Houston finished the series at 17–10 overall, while Middle Tennessee moved to 17–9.

Both teams stood at 8–6 in conference play.

The split came during a week that also brought recognition beyond the court.

Huntsville honored longtime head coach Brenda Gray with a proclamation, connecting the program’s accomplishments with the community she has called home for decades.

Two comebacks in one deciding set

Thursday’s 25–18, 25–22, 13–25, 15–25, 15–13 victory required Sam Houston to respond after Middle Tennessee erased a two-set deficit.

The Blue Raiders carried that momentum into the fifth set, building a 6–1 lead.

Sam Houston answered with six consecutive points to move ahead 7–6.

Chelsea Butler began the response with a kill.

Chloe Monson contributed two kills during the run, Rachelle Reed and Annika Brooks combined for a block, and Brooks supplied the kill that put the Bearkats in front.

Middle Tennessee responded again.

After trailing 9–7, the Blue Raiders scored five straight points and eventually took a 13–10 lead, moving within two points of completing the comeback.

Sam Houston then produced its decisive finish.

Bella Wood recorded consecutive kills, Butler added another to tie the set, and a Middle Tennessee attack error gave the Bearkats match point.

Butler finished the match with a kill.

Lauren Pyle assisted all four kills in the closing 5–0 run.

Avery Pruitt served the final four rallies.

Monson led Sam Houston with 17 kills, while Butler finished with 16 and a .481 hitting percentage.

Brenlin Garlitz contributed 30 assists and 12 digs, and Shaelin White recorded 20 digs.

The finish belonged to Sam Houston, but Middle Tennessee’s recovery from two sets down made the Bearkats earn it.

Middle Tennessee answers

Friday brought a different outcome.

The Blue Raiders won 25–15, 19–25, 25–13, 25–17, taking control of the final two sets after Sam Houston leveled the match.

The Bearkats’ strongest stretch came in the second set.

They recorded 21 kills against three attack errors, hitting .409.

Faith Roulston delivered the closing kill to secure the 25–19 win.

Sam Houston could not sustain that efficiency.

Its hitting percentage fell to .080 in the third set and .091 in the fourth.

Middle Tennessee hit .423 in the third before closing out the match in the fourth.

Sophia Henry led the Blue Raiders with 22 kills.

Middle Tennessee also held an 11–0 advantage in service aces and finished with 58 kills to Sam Houston’s 47.

Butler and Wood led the Bearkats with nine kills apiece.

Brooks and Roulston each added eight.

Garlitz finished with 24 assists, while White recorded 15 digs and Pyle added 14.

Sam Houston had found a way through Thursday’s pressure.

On Friday, Middle Tennessee earned the response.

Recognition at home

Earlier in the week, Huntsville recognized Gray with a proclamation honoring her leadership and dedication to Bearkat athletics.

Gray reached 800 career coaching victories with Sam Houston’s five-set win over Delaware on Oct. 16.

At the city council recognition, she also expressed her regard for the current team.

“I’ve already told them they’re going down as top five teams I’ve ever had, ever coached,” Gray said. “They’re amazing young women student athletes.”

Her comments gave the recognition a connection to the present season.

Alongside a career milestone, Gray was celebrating the players currently representing the university.

“I love this community.

I love Sam Houston State University and I love volleyball,” she said.

A final regular-season test

Sam Houston returns to Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum for its closing conference series against Western Kentucky on Nov. 12–13.

First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Friday, both Central time.

Thursday showed Sam Houston’s ability to finish a match with little room for error.

Friday exposed difficulties sustaining its attack and handling Middle Tennessee’s serving.

The Western Kentucky series gives the Bearkats another opportunity to address those challenges before tournament play begins.

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About Cheval John

Cheval serves as Managing Director of Vallano Media, LLC, where he oversees company's editorial strategy, business development and digital media operations. Operating at the intersection of social media management and sports, Vallano Media is building a dual-pillar brand that does two things: deliver real growth for businesses and translate the sports strategies into practical business lessons. Cheval hosted "What's The Word?" a podcast about finding out what inspires people to choose their respective careers and how social media impacted their lives and business from 2013 to 2017. He has spoken at Social Media Week Lima in Ohio and at Social Media Day Houston 2017. He was named a Houston Top 25 Social Media Power Influencer (2016 and 2017) and Twitter (Now X)Top 50 Influencer by Onalytica in 2018.

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