Broncos recover to beat Bucs

{{tncms-inline alignment=”left” content=”<div class="float"><div class="Lead"><p>Sam Houston 3 | Barbe 2 </p></div></div>” id=”7b40aa72-c58e-4f64-a803-cfc98bf42008″ style-type=”fact” title=”FINAL” type=”relcontent”}}

MOSS BLUFF — Down two sets to none for the second time this season, Sam Houston rallied to beat Barbe in five sets on Tuesday, 17-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-8.

Sam Houston committed 31 hitting or service errors in the first two sets before cleaning up its play to win the final three.

“I think that we just came out flat and didn’t expect to have to work,” Sam Houston head coach Rene Fontenot said. “With a team like Barbe, you can’t do that.

“We played flat against Westlake (at Morgan City), so we have to work at maintaining enthusiasm. We can’t just flip the switch and come to a dead stop. That is kind of what we do — we get stuck in some rotations. They are more than capable.”

Sam Houston (15-5) improved to 6-0 at home.

Sam Houston trailed 5-3 early in the fifth set after a kill by Barbe’s Grayce Guidry, but took the lead for good, 8-7, on a kill by Alaina Bartie.

The Broncos were able to pull away thanks to outside hitter Jordan Cochran, who had back-to-back kills that put Sam Houston up 12-8.

“We were not really getting good four-balls — those high outsides,” Fontenot said. “We got them going there at the end.

“Jordan does a great job on the outside. She had a phenomenal game against Breaux Bridge where she did the same thing.”

Bartie closed out the match with an ace to the back left corner.

Barbe (4-5) entered the match having won three of its last four matches, including a five-set win over Iota two weeks ago, but the Bucs couldn’t close out the sweep. The third set was the turning point when Sam Houston started out with a 5-0 lead.

“We came out in the first two games strong,” Barbe head coach Katie Franks said. “Then in the third set we just didn’t do the little things that we talked about.

“We let them come back in, get momentum and get confident.”

Barbe battled back in the third to get within 23-22 after back-to-back kills by outside hitter Carlie Harper. But Sam Houston was able to hold on and keep the match alive.

After some back-and-forth in the first set, Barbe went 7-1 stretch to pull away.

Late in the second set, Cochran attacked the net to tie it at 17-17, but Barbe’s Mallory Black found the back left corner open for a 18-17 lead.

Kayla Kusters led Barbe with 14 kills and 20 digs and Bailey Anderson added 16 assists and 15 digs.

Sam Houston’s Skylar Glover (16) and Cochran (13) combined for 29 kills and Alaina Bartie had a matchhigh 41 assists.

After traveling three consecutive weekends, Sam Houston will get a breather before a road game at Division III No. 2 Westlake on Wednesday. Barbe will play at the Ascension Episcopal tournament this weekend.

Sam Houston 3 | Barbe 2 

SportsPlus

Jim Gazzolo

Jim Gazzolo column: Parity no cause for concern

Local News

US taxpayer funds went to foreign competition for domestic shrimpers

McNeese Sports

Cowboys look to regain touch

life

Hobo Hotel for Cats charity auction set for Saturday

Local News

Firefighter training to be offered to high school junior, seniors

Local News

LCPD complaints delay vote to reappoint police chief

Local News

Karlee Campbell curates a classroom for students where they feel welcomed

McNeese Sports

Cowgirls suffer double loss

life

SW La. nightlife calendar: There’s always something to do

Local News

Trump announces commission on religious liberty, White House Faith Office

McNeese Sports

Traveling man

Local News

Jennings High Key Club using grant to increase access to books

Local News

Program aimed at helping city workers buy homes

Local News

Several area schools named after Black education pioneers, local legends

Crime

LC man accused of going on crime spree

McNeese Sports

Back to their roots

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Second Harvest news unsettling

Local News

Meet the candidates: Five throw hat in ring for mayor’s race

McNeese Sports

SLC games set for McNeese

McNeese Sports

Cowgirls look for four-peat

Local News

UPDATE: Drug charges against veterinarian cleared of rape dropped

Local News

Cassidy, Senate committee advances Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nomination to be health secretary

Business

Waffle House adds surcharge to eggs as massive bird flu outbreak leads to soaring prices

Local News

Federal judge blocks enforcement of La. police ‘buffer-zone’ law