BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's volleyball team will finally play its first home match of the season when it hosts the Prairie View A&M Panthers in a non-conference clash at 7 p.m. Tuesday at McDonald Gym.
 
The Cardinals (1-8) were slated to open their home season at the beginning of September by hosting the Cardinal Classic, but that event was canceled due to Hurricane Harvey. LU fans will have plenty of opportunities to see the Cardinals at home this week, as LU hosts three matches in five days. Following Tuesday's contest, the Cardinals are home for a pair of Southland Conference matches this week, as Northwestern State comes to town at 7 p.m. Thursday before Central Arkansas pays a visit at 1 p.m. Saturday.
 
LU, which went 3-5 at McDonald Gym last season, hopes a little bit of home cooking will get the team back on the right track. LU enters Tuesday's contest on a seven-match skid, with all seven losses coming in straight sets. Prairie View A&M is 0-3 on the season, with straight-set losses to Houston Baptist, McNeese and Houston.
 
Ivette Dim leads the Cardinals with a .238 attack percentage. Her 67 kills this season are second on the squad to Murielle Hlavac, who has 74. Hlavac has a .203 attack percentage.
 
As a team, the Cardinals have a .140 attack percentage, while LU's opponents have posted a .242 attack percentage.
 
"We have to cut down our errors," LU coach Alan Edwards said. "They have come back to haunt us."
 
Molly Shade and Haley Morton lead the LU setters with each averaging 6.35 assists per set. Defensively, Hlavac has 75 digs, followed by Amy Hollowell with 68 and Zahria Scott with 65. Dim leads the squad with 35 total blocks.
 
Northwestern State, which is idle until Thursday's match is 4-10 this season. The Lady Demons fell to Tulane, North Florida and Alabama State this past weekend at the Tulane Invitational. Central Arkansas is 11-1 heading into its Southland Conference opener at Stephen F. Austin on Thursday. The Sugar Bears won the Golden Eagle Classic at Oral Roberts this past weekend.
 
PROMOTIONS: Fans attending Tuesday's match will receive a free LU volleyball schedule T-shirt while supplies last. Thursday is 1980s Throwback Night with '80s-themed trivia. Fans will receive free aviator sunglasses while supplies last. There will also be free pizza while supplies last. On Saturday, all Girls Scouts will receive free admission when they wear their scout uniform to the match. In addition, there will be a pregame chalk talk with LU head coach Alan Edwards.
 
TICKETS: For ticket information, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. Tickets are available at the Montagne Center ticket office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Tickets are available at McDonald Gym one hour prior to first serve. LU students are admitted free when they show their Cardinal One card at McDonald Gym. Junior Cardinal Club members are admitted for free when they present their membership badge at the McDonald Gym ticket office.