BEAUMONT, Texas – Just two matches remain in the 2018 volleyball season for Lamar University, both of which will take place this week at McDonald Gymnasium. The Cards will host Northwestern State for Senior Night on Nov. 8 and end the year with Southeastern Louisiana early on Nov. 10.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – McNEESE AND UIW
 
McNEESE
Ivette Dim led the way offensively Tuesday as the Lamar University volleyball team fought through the Battle of the Border, the Cards' annual rivalry with McNeese State University. Big Red came within inches of winning the first set before ultimately falling to the Cowgirls in three sets.
 
Dim recorded 11 kills on a .625 hitting percentage, and Tomar Thomas had another seven kills. Alyssa Legette recorded 23 of the team's 28 assists, and Erin Pequeno totaled 10 digs.
 
UIW
Hanging tough in a battle featuring two Cardinal teams, Lamar University's volleyball team came just a few points short of victory in sets one and two Thursday against The University of The Incarnate Word. LU's Cards fell in three sets to UIW's Cards.
 
Ivette Dim recorded 12 kills in the match, her ninth match this season with at least 10 kills. The senior hit at a .476 attack percentage and also recorded two blocks. Tomar Thomas had nine kills, one ace, and one block, and Alyssa Legette recorded 30 assists. Erin Pequeno had 14 digs, her 13th match this season with double-digit digs.
 
THIS WEEK – NORTHWESTERN STATE AND SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA
 
Lamar vs. Northwestern State – Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. – Senior Night
Meeting for the 37th time on Thursday, Lamar holds a 23-13 advantage over the Lady Demons all-time, but NSU has won the past two matches between the programs, a 3-0 decision in 2017 and a three-set match earlier this year.
 
Northwestern State is 10-13 overall this year and 6-7 in Southland Conference play, holding a half-game advantage over New Orleans, Incarnate Word, and McNeese, who are all tied for eighth place. The Lady Demons are slated to host the SLC tournament this season.
 
Sean Kiracofe owns a 44-73 record in four seasons at NSU, adding wins to each of his seasons.
 
The Lady Demons rank sixth in the SLC in hitting percentage (.195), fifth in assists per set (11.41), fourth in digs per set (15.62), and sixth in blocks per set (2.10).
 
Channing Burleson remains one of the best defensive specialists in the conference with an astounding 5.08 digs a set, the most in the SLC and the 38th most in the NCAA, and her 442 total digs is third in the SLC. Reagan Rogers paces her team in attacks per set (10.00) and total service aces (32), and Skylar Besch is third in the SLC in assists per set with 9.19 a game.
 
Lamar vs. Southeastern Louisiana – Nov. 10 at 10 a.m.
Holding an impressive 26-9 record against Southeastern, Lamar won both of its matches against the Lady Lions in 2017 but dropped a four-set decision to the Lions earlier this year in Hammond, La. The Lions are 2-24 this year and 1-12 in Southland play.
 
Jim Smoot holds a 47-130 record in six seasons at SLU, and in his 27th year as a head coach with a 398-412 career mark.
 
The Lady Lions rank near the bottom of the conference in every category including kills per set (10.42, 13th), assists per set (9.65, 13th), blocks per set (1.58, 10th), and digs per set (12.73, 12th).
 
Lamar's match against Southeastern will mark the end of the 2018 season.