LONG BEACH, Calif. - Wrapping up the final week of non-conference or "preseason" volleyball, Lamar University heads to the Golden State Friday and Saturday for the Mizuno Invitational.

The Last Time Out - Prairie View A&M

It took just one hour and 18 minutes Tuesday evening for Lamar University to defeat Prairie View A&M in straight sets, improving the Cards' record against the Panthers to 20-0 all-time. Tomar Thomas secured her second double-double of the year with 12 kills and 10 digs, and Big Red outhit Prairie View .351 to .076.

"At this point we're finally starting to find our way," said head coach Michelle Kuester. "We talk about it a lot in practice that we have a tendency to start slow, and we're aware of those things, so now we're at the point where we're thinking about how to improve and be more technically-minded and less worried about the result. That'll help us moving forward."

Lamar vs. Long Beach State - September 14 at 9 p.m.

According to Long Beach State's record book, which goes back about a decade further than Lamar's, LBSU holds a 4-0 advantage all-time against the Cards, all in neutral-site matches that took place from 1970 to 1983.

Long Beach State is 6-4 on the year and has won six of its last eight after opening the year 0-2, and The Beach are 2-0 at home inside the Walter Pyramid, one of the more eclectic venues in college athletics. Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer is in her second season as the head coach of her alma mater and owns a 16-23 record. McKienzie-Fuerbringer played for the LBSU squad back in 1993 when the team won its second national championship. She was an assistant coach at LBSU and UCLA before landing the head gig at LBSU.

Hailey Harward and Kashauna Williams have split the offensive load for The Beach with both averaging almost three kills a set. Tyler Spriggs is a real threat double-double threat after double-figure digs in three matches last week that included an 18-kill, 16-dig performance against Princeton. Putting up a wall at the net is Emma Kirst, who averaged 1.31 blocks a set with 17 total blocks last week.

Lamar vs. Loyola Marymount - September 15 at 2 p.m.

Loyola Marymount and Lamar have faced each other just once previously, a 3-0 decision in favor of LMU at the UTSA Classic on Sept. 6, 2013. LMU is 8-1 this season and is currently receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll. Aaron Mansfield is in his second season as the head coach of LMU and holds a 24-14 record with the program. He'll be one of three coaches of the USA Beach Volleyball team as it attempts to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

As a team LMU is first in the nation in assists (15.13) and kills per set (16.03), with Emma Johnson leading the nation in individual hitting percentage (.529) and Tess Reid leading the nation in assists per set (13.19). Sara Kovac and Reid each have had double-doubles in three of LMU's nine matches.

Up Next

Lamar will begin Southland Conference play Sept. 20 at Abilene Christian, then travel to Sam Houston State Sept. 22 before turning home for four consecutive home matches against Incarnate Word (Sept. 25), McNeese (Sept. 29), Nicholls (Oct. 4), and New Orleans (Oct. 6).