Sam Houston tries to change its culture

“I’ve grown up with those losses, from freshman year to senior year,” Hurricanes senior Levolea Wallace said. “It’s great to start off with two wins and no losses. I know we definitely have to work if we want to do anything or beat somebody this year. We have to be ready to win. ”

Sam Houston absorbed its first loss on Oct. 23 at Alamo Convocation Center. Edison (3-0, 3-0) defeated the Hurricanes 25-11, 25-11, 25-11 despite seven kills, seven digs and 10 assists from Wallace.

Against Kennedy, Sam Houston won the first two games by identical 25-14 scores. The Hurricanes scored the last four points in the match to complete the sweep 25-12.

“So far, they’ve been working and doing the things I expect them to do,” first-year Sam Houston coach Tashina Hughes said. “I’ve been trying to get them to communicate a lot more to get them to jell.”

Kennedy was within 11-8 in Game 1, but the Hurricanes recorded the next three points. They had a seven-point spurt later that included an ace from Delores Ijames-Curtis and a kill from Wallace that extended the lead to 22-11.

Like Sam Houston, the Rockets have a large contingent of freshmen. Each team dressed five first-year players for the match.

Kennedy’s most-experienced players are libero Marisol Trigo and outside hitter Kaylen Magallanez.

“I changed our rotation today,” first-year Kennedy coach Erica Rodriguez said. “I’ve got to get them to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I’m excited to mold this team. I think we can be really, really good.”

In Game 2, a kill from Gelisa Thomas gave Sam Houston a 7-2 lead. An ace from Kennedy’s Gabriella Solis brought the Rockets within 11-7.

“They lost six seniors from last year, so they’re really young,” said Rodriguez, a former Holy Cross assistant coach. “But I think they’re working and growing together.”

Sam Houston gradually pulled out to a 16-9 advantage with help from kills by Ashanti Mathis and Charmarial Henderson. A kill from Wallace and an ace from Thomas helped the Hurricanes push the lead into double digits.

“I try to tell them they always need to work on something, no matter how the game’s going,” said Hughes, a 2003 Sam Houston grad. “Every day, you need to get better at a different skill.”

Shakira Sullivan served back-to-back aces to give Sam Houston an 11-10 lead in Game 3. Wallace closed a run in which the Hurricanes scored 11 of the next 12 points with consecutive kills.

“I love this group,” said Wallace, Sam Houston’s senior class president and who ranks No. 1 in the class of 2021. “To be aggressive and not be afraid to mess up, I want the younger girls to realize that they shouldn’t be afraid to mess up.”