Led by Carrie Sartain, who totaled 43 kills in three matches, Sam Houston State did not drop a game as the Bearkats defeated Auburn, Sacred Heart and Marist to take the team championships at the Hartford Invitational in Hartford, Conn on Friday and Saturday.The tournament title marked the first time since 1997 that the Bearkats have won a regular season intercollegiate tournament. The three victories give Sam Houston a 6-2 record for the young 2002 season, the Bearkats’ best start since the 1993 Southland Conference championship team began the year 7-1.Sam Houston began the tournament with a 30-21, 30-18, 30-26 victory over Auburn Friday afternoon. Sartain totaled 19 kills in the victory over the Tigers. Chrissy Engle added eight kills and Liz Dahlstrom was credited with six for the Bearkats. Sam Houston State produced a season high .394 attack percentage, with a total of 46 kills and only seven errors in 99 attempts during the contest.Saturday morning, Sartain totaled 17 kills as the Bearkats blitzed Sacred Heart 30-16, 30-4, 30-15. The Kats again produced a season-high hitting average, this time totaling 47 kills with only seven errors in 95 attempts for a .421 mark.SHSU took just under an hour to dispatch Marist in the final match of the tournament, winning 30-8, 30-21, 30-21. Engle led the Bearkats with nine kills, while Sartain added seven. Sam Houston hit .370 (46 kills, 12 errors in 92 attempts).
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