CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – SMU overpowered Sam Houston en route to a straight-set victory (25-14, 25-15, 25-) at the Dugan Wellness Center Friday.

In the opener of the Islanders Classic, the Mustangs never trailed in the contest and moved to 3-1 on the season, while the Bearkats fell to 2-3.

SMU jumped out to a fast start, taking a 25-14 decision in the opening set. The Mustangs registered an 80 percent side-out rate and a .350 hitting percentage. A balanced attacked fueled the offense with six players netting at least one kill. Natalie Perdue paced the squad with six, while Marieke van der Mark added four.

In the second, SMU rattled off the first five points and forced a timeout by the Bearkats. They cut the deficit to 9-6, before a 9-0 spurt by the Mustangs left little doubt of the eventual result, a 10-point victory. SMU continued its dominance in the third, building double-digit leads on multiple occasions. Facing their largest deficit of the contest at 24-12, Sam Houston fended off three match points before succumbing 25-15.

Perdue and Jamison Wheeler finished with 12 kills each, the fourth time both players notched at least 10 kills in four outings this season. Wheeler added six digs and two block assists, while Perdue chipped in four digs and assisted on one rejection

Marieke van der Mark converted six of her 17 attempts, without an error, while London Austin-Roark went 6 for 11 with one miscue. Each totaled a pair of blocks.

Donning the libero jersey, Jadyn Bauss dug a team-high 12 opposition attacks and added two service aces. Jentry Lamirand dropped in four of the team's nine aces, with a pair from Austin-Roark and one by Wheeler.

Alex Glover rejected three attacks at the net – two solo and one assisted. Celia Cullen facilitated the offense with 30 assists.

The Mustangs return to action Friday at 4 p.m. against Indiana.