Bearkat Volleyball Team Wins 13th Straight Game
by Cheval John
The Sam Houston State Bearkat volleyball team extends their winning streak to 13 games as they swept Nicholls State Colonels 25-21, 25-13, 25-16.
The win streak is the longest since the Bearkats moved up to the NCAA Division I in 1986.
Three Bearkats (13-2 SLC play, 18-9 overall) totaled double-digit kills; senior outside hitter Kendall Cleveland (13), senior outside hitter Kaylee Hawkins (12) and sophomore outside hitter Devene Wells-Gibson (11).
Both teams fought tooth and nail early in the first set as they were five ties and two lead changes.
With the Colonels (5-12 SLC play, 10-18 overall) leading 14-9, the Bearkats scored the next eight out of ten points to take a 17-16 lead and went on to win the first set 25-21.
It seemed as if the second set was going to be the same as both teams traded a total of six points to open it at 3.
Then the Bearkats exploded for 9 straight points to lead it 12-3 and cruised to a 25-13 win.
They kept up the momentum in the third set as they scored the first six of the seven points on a kill and three service aces by Wells-Gibson and a kill by Hawkins.
They continued to dominate the Colonels as with their defense that allowed them to extend their lead and eventually take the third set and the match.
Setter Tayler Gray had 37 assists and 20 digs.
The Bearkats go on the road on Tuesday as they face Northwestern State.
Bearkats-Aggies Football Matchup To Be “Televised”
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
COLLEGE STATION— Texas A&M University, Sam Houston State and the Southeastern Conference announced today the Nov. 17 football game between the Aggies and the Bearkats will be televised on a pay-per-view basis by FOX Sports Southwest for distribution in the state of Texas, as well as on ESPN GamePlan nationwide.
The football game will kick at 2:30 p.m. central from Kyle Field.
Additional details regarding distribution and cable systems will be available in the coming weeks.
One thing about the broadcast that is for certain is the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band performance will be seen in its entirety.
Hambleton Named SLC’s “Freshman Of the Year”
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Goalkeeper Kylie Hambleton earned conference “Freshman of the Year” honors and six Bearkats were named to the all-league team as the 2012 women’s soccer All-Southland Conference team was announced.
Seniors defender Kayla Anderson and midfielder Kirby Zak and freshman Katie Ferrera were selected to the All-Southland second team.
Seniors defender Amanda Biega and Tricia Mallory and Hambleton were honorable mention award winners.
Ferrara was the Bearkats’ leading scorer with four goals this season. Mallory and Zak each scored three goals apiece.
Anderson, Biega and Hambleton were the heart of a Bearkat defense that set a school season record allowing only 18 goals in 18 matches this year.
The Kats shutout seven opponents.
In goal, “Freshman of the Year” Hambleton ranked second in the conference in saves per game (5.36), third in save percentage (.843) and fourth in shutouts (6).
She played in net for 14 of Sam Houston’s 18 matches this season.
Sam Houston faces Oral Roberts in the first round of the Southland Conference post-season tournament at Cowgirl Field in Lake Charles, La., Thursday.
“It’s great to see three of our six seniors earn All-Southland Conference honors,” SHSU head coach Tom Brown said. “This year’s senior class is the first in the 10-year history of the Bearkat soccer program to lead the team to the conference tournament each of the four seasons here.”
2012 All-Southland Conference Soccer Teams
First Team
G Lacey Lee SFA
D Lauren Parks ORU
D Breanne Vernon SFA
D Megan Dunnigan SFA
M Kylie Louw SFA
M Laura Sadler SFA
M Jennifer Abernathy ORU
F Adriana Lucar Central Ark
F Chelsea Raymond SFA
F Zuri Prince SFA
F Maiya Cooper SE La.
SECOND TEAM
G Lacey Bockhaus SE LA
D Leslie Shurtleff SFA
D Amber Thornhill Lamar
D Kayla Anderson SHSU
M Kristin Bos Lamar
M Katie Ferrara SHSU
M Kelsey Salcido SE La.
M Kirby Zak SHSU
F Sarah LaLanne McNeese
F Megan Giles ORU
F Jannet Hernandez Lamar
Honorable mention: Kimmy Albeno, F, LU; Kayla Keller, F, ORU; Spencer Valdespino, F, NICH; Whitney Booth, F, ORU; Ashlee Savona, F, NWLA; Tricia Mallory, F, SHSU; Kayla Vera, F, SLU; Lisa Topping, MF, LU; Becky Johnson, MF, SFA; Lauren Stillians, MF, SLU; Karly Dagys, MF, SLU; Allison Hall, D, ORU; Shanyce Shaw, D, SLU; Amanda Biega, D, SHSU; Cheyenne Maxwell, D, SLU, Alejandra Amador, D, LU; Megan Snelling, D, MCN; Kylie Hambleton, GK, SHSU; Bailey Fontenot, GK, LU; Helen Erb, GK, ORU.
Player of the Year – Kylie Louw, Stephen F. Austin
Freshman of the Year – Kylie Hambleton, Sam Houston State
Newcomer of the Year – Adriana Lucar, Central Arkansas
Coach of the Year – Tony Amato, Stephen F. Austin
Cleveland Named SLC’s “Offensive Player of the Week”
Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information
Sam Houston senior outside hitter Kendall Cleveland has been named as Southland Conference volleyball “Offensive Player of the Week” after leading the Bearkats to a pair of road victories that landed SHSU in first place in the 2012 Southland race.
Cleveland led the team offensively as the Bearkats knocked off both Oral Roberts and Central Arkansas on the road. Central Arkansas was a perfect 11-0 at home prior to the loss.
Sam Houston extends its winning streak to 11, the longest current streak in the league this year and longest for the Bearkats as an NCAA Division I team.
The Houston, Texas (Cy Creek), native was nearly perfect in the front line with only nine hitting errors in 89 attempts.
The senior produced a career best 22 kills in the Oral Roberts victory and knocked down 14 kills in the UCA win.
Cleveland sits fifth in the Southland with 3.23 kills per set.
Sam Houston setter Tayler Gray took honorable mention honors for Southland “Defensive Player of the Week”.
The Bearkats have five matches remaining in the regular season with two this week at home at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Sam Houston plays host to Southeastern Louisiana Thursday night at 7 p.m. and Nicholls State Saturday at 10 a.m.