NORMAN, Okla. – For the third time this season – which is only three weeks old – the Lamar University volleyball team will trek to a new state to play in a tournament. This time they head to Oklahoma to participate in the Nike Invitational against the host Sooners, Ohio and former league rival UTSA.
 
LU (0-6) and Ohio (2-5) get the day started at 10 a.m. Friday, for only the second match of the all-time series against each other. Unlike the Ohio match, UTSA (3-3) and the Cardinals will battle each other for the 48^th time, but only the second time since the Roadrunners left the Southland Conference in 2012. That match is slated to start at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon.
 
The final match of the Nike Invite for LU is versus Oklahoma (7-0) at noon Saturday. It'll be the fifth matchup between the programs, but OU has won the last three.
 
Though the Cardinals are still searching for their first win, head coach Alan Edwards still feels like his team is making progress in playing on the road.
 
"We're playing close matches against a higher level of competition than we competed against last season," he said. "We want this program to be competitive in our league first and then a program that becomes competitive on a regional scale. For us to do that we have to take our lumps against high-conference programs.
 
"Right now it's about taking a young group and teaching them to stay aggressive and maintain an aggressor's mentality all the way through a match and not let up when we have the upper hand," said Edwards. "I don't think 0-6 reflects who we are. We're pleased with some of the things we're seeing in ourselves."
 
It's OU's second tournament to host this season, and after running through the UALR tournament the Sooners remain undefeated. They lead the nation in attack percentage at .368, topped by Micaela Spann (.513). Madison Ward leads the way with 3.72 kills per set and Kimmy Gardiner follows at 3.55. Both are in the nation's top 10 of hitting at .408 and .356.
 
"Norman is a tough place to play, and they are a big, strong and physical Big 12 team," said Edwards. "We won't shy away from them, but we have to stay in system more than they are. That comes down to ball control and serve-receive.
 
"We need to try and be a team that continues to focus on game plan and taking a match to somebody," he said. "If we do that, I think we'll be okay. We need to be sure we're learning the lessons we need to learn from these tournaments, and I feel that we're doing that pretty successfully."
 
UTSA jumped out to a hot start at 3-0, but is on a three-match skid since. Dajana Boskovic tops the Runners with a 4.28 kills and 2.67 digs per set marks. Jessica Waldrip averages 9.33 assists per match and follows only Boskovic in digs (2.39).
 
"They run the same system we run, and they are doing it with some very good volleyball players," said Edwards. "That will be a fun matchup because they do things we do. Just like OU and Ohio, that will come down to who can stay in system the longest."
 
Ohio was an NCAA Tournament team a season ago, but is off to a 2-5 start this year. It returns five of its starters from last season, which finished at 25-8.
 
It is led by outside hitter Jamie Kosiorek at 2.60 kills per set and a .181 attack percentage. Mallory Salis has the highest kills mark (3.40), but has only played in four matches. The Bobcats have two setters with seven or more assists a game, Katelyn Burke (7.69) and Stepanie Olman (7.86). Brooke Coleman leads the way with a 4.24 digs mark.
 
"They'll be a typical MAC team. They'll have some really good volleyball players," said Edwards. "Again, it goes back to being in system. We just need to play a discipline game a little longer than we have been."
 
The Cardinals wrap up their final week of non-conference play at the Hawkeye Invitational at Iowa, where they will face South Dakota and the Hawkeyes.