After a hot start to the season the Bearkats have hit a rough patch at the start of conference play. Much of the struggles can be attributed to the unforced errors the Kats have been committing.
Ones that were few and far between at the beginning of the season.
“In our first home game we wanted it so bad that we lost sight of what we were doing,” head coach Brenda Gray said. “It didn’t look like the team had played the previous four weeks, we made errors we were not accustomed to making, we did not make adjustments, and we just looked off. It is our errors that are costing us.”
The Kats understand that on the court they are facing themselves as much as they are their opponents. If the unforced errors stop, the losing will as well.
“Right now we are 0-2 (in conference) and we definitely are not going to put our tail between our legs and run around, we are going to get back to work,” Gray said. “We watched film yesterday, and found various things that we are going to continue to work on, and we are going to get to work.”
The Kats are an experienced team, which returns every starter from last season. That experience gives coach Gray confidence in this group, the experienced roster will only help this team overcome their early season adversity.
“There is one thing I know about this group of girls; they love this program, and there is nothing more they want than to put this program at the top,” Gray said. “They know what they are up against, and nothing is new for them. They know what the next six weeks will bring. I think experience is always an advantage.”
The Nicholls State Colonels does present some problems for the Bearkats with having two left handed hitters on the right side, but the Kats are more focused on themselves than they are on their opponent. Gray believes that turning the season around starts with turning themselves around first.
“We are not so focused on our opponent, as much as we are focused on ourselves,” Gray said. “We can get so caught up on our opponent that we forget about ourselves. Our opponent is just another team. We need to take care of Sam Houston.”
The Nicholls State volleyball team has been suffering through some struggles as well. The Colonels have lost their last nine games and currently hold an overall record of 4-13, 0-2 in Southland Conference play. However, the Kats know that they can’t afford to overlook the Colonels, since they’re in need of a win of their own this Thursday night.
The player to watch for the Colonels is outside hitter Kaci Eaton, number 17. Eaton has led the team in kills each of the last two games. At 6’2” Eaton’s height could be a problem for the Bearkats’ front line.
SHSU will host Nicholls State on Thursday at 6:30 pm in Gym 2 of the Health and Kinesiology Center.