LUBBOCK, Texas – The Lamar University women's volleyball couldn't shake off the rust of an almost two-week layoff as they fell to the host Texas Tech Red Raiders and the UTRGV Vaqueros on the first day of the Red Raider Classic on Friday.
 
The Cardinals (1-4) dropped 3-0 decisions in both matches. Texas Tech (6-1) won by scores of 25-15, 25-16 and 25-17 in the noon match before UTRGV (3-6) held off the Cardinals by scores of 25-14, 25-17, 25-21.
 
Murielle Hlavac had seven kills for the Cardinals in the match against Texas Tech. Bre'Ala Box had an impressive attack percentage of .833 after knocking down five kills on six attempts with no errors. Haley Morton had 13 assists for LU. Chandler Atwood and Emily Hill had eight kills apiece for Texas Tech.
 
Ivette Dim had seven kills in nine attempts in the loss to UTRGV. Morton had 21 assists, while Hlavac had seven digs. Ragni Steen Knudsen led UTRGV with 12 kills, while Bojana Mitrovic added 11 kills.
 
For the day, LU had 59 kills, but couldn't overcome 45 attack errors.
 
The Cardinals had been idle since Aug. 26, when they faced the host Clemson Tigers at the Big Orange Bash. LU had been slated to host the Cardinal Classic on Sept. 1-2, but Hurricane Harvey not only forced the cancellation of the tournament, it left the Cardinals stranded away from home for more than a week. The Cards spent time in Clemson, South Carolina, and Arlington, Texas before returning to Beaumont on Labor Day.
 
"We were able to get some good practices in while we were on the road," LU coach Alan Edwards said. "What we had to deal with was a minor inconvenience when you compare it to what so many people had to go through."
 
The Cardinals look to get back on the winning track when they meet UC Riverside at 11 a.m. Saturday on the final day of the tournament.
 
Following this weekend's play, LU is at the UTA Invitational in Arlington on Sept. 15-16 before hosting Prairie View A&M in the home opener at 7 p.m. Sept. 19. For ticket information for all LU home matches, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE.