HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The volleyball team opened day one of the Sam Houston Tournament with a hard-fought battle against host Sam Houston on Thursday. The Huskies dropped the first two sets 25-14 and 25-19 but fought back to take the next two 25-20 and 25-23, pushing the match to a decisive fifth set. Ultimately, Sam Houston claimed the victory 15-8 in the final set inside Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville, Texas. The weekend-long tournament promises more exciting matchups, and the Huskies will look to rebound in their upcoming games.
The Bearkats (7-4) jumped out to an early lead in the first set, hitting .565 and holding HCU to .200. Chloe Monson and Lauren Malone paced Sam Houston with strong attacking, giving the Huskies little room to respond as they fell 25-14.
In set two, the Bearkats maintained control, again forcing Houston Christian into errors and finishing the frame 25-19. The Huskies struggled to convert kills early, but Byerly, Redrow, and Bonner-Williams each made key plays that kept HCU within striking distance.
Houston Christian found its rhythm in the third set, hitting .382 as the team overcame an early 5-4 deficit to take the set 25-20. The Huskies' frontline came alive, with Archie leading the blocks and Euhus contributing critical points in transition. Redrow, Bonner-Williams, and
Joya Euhus each finished with 11 kills on the night, keeping HCU competitive.
Set four was another back-and-forth affair. Houston Christian battled to tie the match at 23-23, forcing Sam Houston into unforced errors and capitalizing on key defensive stops.
Peyton Fadal delivered 39 assists, orchestrating the offense while
Bianca Byerly recorded 16 digs. HCU's effort paid off as they edged the Bearkats 25-23 to force a fifth and final set.
The decisive fifth set saw Sam Houston pull away early, using consistent hitting and timely blocks to take an 11-6 lead. Despite a late surge from Houston Christian, the Bearkats closed out the match 15-8. Monson led all scorers with 22 kills, while Malone added 16.
Even in defeat, HCU showcased resilience and depth. The Huskies out-blocked Sam Houston 11-8, had three players in double-figure kills, and pushed a strong Conference USA opponent to the wire in front of 440 fans.
Houston Christian returns to action Friday at 1 p.m. against ULM and will face Georgia State on Saturday at 12 p.m., both in Huntsville, as part of the Sam Houston Tournament.
