BEAUMONT, Texas – Returning to the friendly confines of the McDonald Gymnasium, Lamar University's volleyball team will host the University of the Incarnate Word on Tuesday in its Southland Conference home opener. The Cards and the Cards will play at 7 p.m.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – ABILENE CHRISTIAN & SAM HOUSTON STATE
 
Erin Pequeno poured in double-digit digs in consecutive matches and Tomar Thomas (17), Abigale Nash (11), and Ivette Dim (10) each recorded double-digit kills while Bre'Ala Box blocked eight times at the net, but big runs by both ACU and SHSU put Lamar just out of reach in its two SLC matches last week.
 
Lamar vs. Incarnate Word – Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.
Big Red is 2-5 all-time in the Cardinal vs. Cardinal battle with one win apiece in Beaumont and in San Antonio, Texas, respectively. The "other" Cardinals of UIW are 3-9 this season and 1-1 in SLC play, having lost at Northwestern State in four sets and taken down Southeastern Louisiana at home in four.
 
Samantha Dabbs is in her first year as the head of the UIW volleyball program after six years as the associate head of North Florida's indoor team and the head of the beach program there.
 
UIW averages 11.68 kills a set as a team, 11.00 of which are assisted, and 15.00 digs a set. The Cards rank sixth in the Southland in total attacks per set, averaging 34.73.
 
Madelynn Miller is statistically one of the best defensive specialists in the SLC, averaging 4.45 digs a set, the second-most digs per set by any conference student-athlete. Carissa McGarity is averaging just under a block per set, 12th-most in the league, and Autumn Lockley (3.11), Bethany Clapp (3.05), and Julia Monday (2.68) are all averaging over 2.5 kills a set.
 
UP NEXT

The Cardinals will continue their SLC homestand when McNeese comes to town on Sept. 29 for the Battle of the Border. That'll be followed by Nicholls on Oct. 4 and New Orleans at Oct. 6. Big Red will then hit the road for four consecutive road games from Oct. 11 through Oct. 20.