ABILENE, Texas – Molly Shade had a career-high 39 assists, but the Lamar University Cardinals fell in four sets to the host Abilene Christian Wildcats in Southland Conference women's volleyball action on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Cardinals (4-21 overall, 2-13 Southland) got off to a slow start, dropping the first set 25-13 before showing some grit and determination to make each of the final three sets a hard-fought battle. Abilene Christian (11-15, 7-7) won the second set 26-24 before LU claimed a 25-20 win in the third set. The Wildcats held on for a 25-22 victory in the fourth set to claim the match.
 
LU's Tomar Thomas posted a match-high 17 kills on the day to go along with eight digs. Dannisha House had 13 kills, while Bre'Ala Box finished with 11 kills for the Cardinals. Murielle Hlavac had 19 digs for the Cardinals, who got 14 digs from Zahria Scott and 11 digs from Kaitlyn Nutt. Scott also had four service aces.
 
Abilene Christian (11-15, 7-7), which can lock up a berth in the upcoming Southland Conference Tournament by winning one of its two remaining matches, got a double-double from Kendall Bosse, who finished with 44 assists and 18 digs. Jacey Smith had 16 kills for the Wildcats, while Amanda Chapa finished with a match-high 23 digs.
 
Abilene Christian was never threatened in the first set, but the second set was a back-and-forth affair that saw 15 ties and seven lead changes. The last tie of the second set came at 24 before the Wildcats scored the final two points of the set.
 
The third set was similarly tight in the early going. LU led 15-12 before grabbing control with a 6-0 run to take a 21-12 lead. The Wildcats got no closer than four points the rest of the set.
 
LU fell behind early in the fourth set before cutting the ACU lead to 24-22 on a kill by Thomas, but ACU's Lauren Walker ended the match with a kill to stifle LU's hopes for a comeback.
 
The Cardinals wrap up their 2017 season when they travel to Stephen F. Austin to meet the Ladyjacks at noon Nov. 11.